


Not Over Yet

by deviantalexys



Category: Carmilla (Web Series), Carmilla - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Blood and Violence, Canon Continuation, Character Death, Depression, F/F, F/M, Guilt, Multi, Post-Apocalypse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Survival, World War III
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:09:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 24,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25677109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deviantalexys/pseuds/deviantalexys
Summary: The battle was over, they had won.Too bad that news didn't travel fast enough.(Story is finished, Now going back and doing some clean up)
Relationships: Carmilla & Laura (Carmilla), LaFontaine/Lola Perry, Laura Hollis/Carmilla Karnstein, Wilson Kirsch & Danny Lawrence
Comments: 5
Kudos: 10





	1. The Beginning of the End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An idea that came from a random thought. At the end of the series what fallout would the near raising of Hell on Earth have? Where did certain charecters go after it all? Where did certain items go? Did Sherman ever get help? What would the police say to a man saying that a local university was taken over by Hell? Did Kirsch get his shnitzel? The answers to some of those and not to others follow.
> 
> This was finished early August 2020 but it was done rather quickly and may have some errors when it comes to grammer and formation. Over the next few weeks will probally go over this and make corrections and minor changes. Nothing that will change the story of this only clean it up so it is more easier to read.
> 
> Other than that please leave comments about how you feel about this story and if you liked it. Or if you hated it. Hehe.
> 
> Thanks for reading!

## Chapter 1: The Begining of the End

They had done it. 

They won. 

They stopped hell from coming to earth and set Carmilla's Mom at peace. Additionally, they not only survived this whole ordeal but Carmilla was also granted life and freedom fom her vampiric ways.

Carmilla and Laura had just climbed out of the pit and were making their way across campus to a destination unknown. Because at this point they didn't seem to care much. They were just happy.

"So Cupcake, where now?" Carm asked with her arm around Laura.

"Well how about we-" she started but was stopped short by the sound of panic and yelling. They both looked over to see a group of what they assumed students loaded up with a bunch of luggage and bags running by them.

"Hey what's the rush? Pretty sure all that Hell on Earth stuff is over." Carmilla asked the terrified looking students.

Most ignored her but one stopped. They could tell by the dirt on the student that they were in the pit with the dig and must have known it was over. But the student looked more scared than ever.

"It's not that. We know it stopped. We could all feel it. But....but they didn't know it...

"Who?" Laura asked with concern.

"The military. Or like the government or something. Someone told them what was going on here and they announced on the radio just a bit ago that..." the student paused and looked back at their fleeing friends looking like they wanted to run again. "That due to an unknown great threat they decided to....um...contain this."

Laura and Carmilla shared a look. They knew this must have been Sherman getting help but they didn't expect it to go this way. "Contain? Contain how?" Carmilla asked a bit more worried holding Laura close to her, her own mortality coming ahead in her mind.

The student was about to speak when their friends yelled at them. They turned to look at them then back at Carmilla and Laura with a pained expression. "I...I'm not sure but they said everyone who isn't affected or part of it to leave immediately. I'm sorry I have to go." They pleaded as they then turned and began to run after their friends.

Carmilla and Laura held each other close as Laura looked to Carmilla. "What do you think is going to happen? Oh my gosh do you think Perry and Laf got out? Oh and what about Kirs-"

"Laura." Carmilla said, getting her attention right away. She knew this was serious if they were forgoing nicknames. "I know you're worried about them but right now we need to leave before..." Carmilla said hurriedly as they pulled Laura down the path.

"Before what?" Laura asked breathlessly as they turned their walk into a run.

Just then a large light appeared. Brighter than anything. Brighter than the sun. Then the noise. The noise so loud it made all else fall silent. Carmilla knew this sound. As soon as the student said the military wanted to "contain" this she knew what was happening. It meant eradicating everything. Destroy it before it can get out. They always did things this way. Pulling Laura's gaze away from the light she could tell the girl was beyond mortified. "...we need to run."

### 5 Years Later

The sun shined down through the tears of the curtains she had drawn. She groaned as she stirred from sleep. It was too early. She knew she shouldn't have stayed out so late on that hunt last night, but Danny insisted they needed more food. She turned over and thought about just sleeping in when she could hear footsteps approaching. She sat up and looked over to the the open door of her room in the run down house she had claimed and saw Danny heading over. Damn Vampire constitution and not needing to sleep as much.

“Hey ex-fang! Ya up yet? We need to take care of the meat we hunted so it doesn't spoil.” Danny shouted into her room from the doorway.

Carmilla groaned and stretched as she stood, “Yeah yeah I’m coming baby fang.”

She walked out of her house and took in the sight before her, still honestly at awe of the whole situation she found herself in. Those idiots actually did it. They didn't need the help of hell, demons, ancient gods or anything. They destroyed the world by themselves. When the bomb fell on Silas she never would have known the effect it had world wide, The seemingly careless use of a nuclear device leading to a civil war in Austria, which in turn led to regional war and then world war. That world war...ended exactly how everyone knew it would end. More bombs. More and more bombs until the world was destroyed at least ten times over. So much death, so much loss all started to by idiots in charge as a way to stop her mother. She didn't really know how they made that decision to use that level of destruction or how, based on the ravings of a paranoid dad and a giant named Bob that the government of any country would do this. She only knew what it led to, and what effect it had on her, on their friends, family, and...and...La-

Danny cleared her throat and approached Carmilla, “You with me?”

Carmilla shook her head and looked over to Danny, “Yeah, just got lost there a moment.”

Danny looked over at her with concern and put a hand on her shoulder and gave it a little squeeze, “I still have mornings like that too, not so much anymore but I get it.” 

Carmila smiled at Danny. It's amazing how the apocalypse can make past problems seem meaningless and cause you to make friends with former enemies. Plus now that she herself was not one having a vampire on their side was a plus for survival. Over the last five years she and Danny have gotten close as friends, they would still bicker and pick on each other but they have learned to trust the other with their lives over what they had to do to survive till now. “Don't go soft on me now beanstalk.” Carmilla teased.

Danny smiled back at Carmilla, “Well Kirsch and Mel already skinned and deboned most of the meat but think you can help preserve it for us?”

Carmilla nodded, preserving meat in salt and brine was something she learned over the years and didn't mind helping do that. It was a good thing everyone liked jerky. And when they were not surviving on dried meats some of the other students who stuck around this area, mostly because they had no home to go to, helped with makeshift farms and the like. They had a good thing going here. The four of them; her, Danny, Mel, and Kirsch were de facto leaders of their little group of survivors that ranged from thirty to fifty people depending on how many traveling caravans were visiting. 

Most days just consisted of helping with tasks around the camp and making sure everyone was okay. Carmilla would have never seen herself in that sort of role back then. She was so much more willing to help out and lend a hand now. She could lie and blame her now human heart but she knew the real reason. That if she could be more like her maybe it would right the wrongs of her past in some sort of karmic way and...and…

She shook her head as those thoughts walked down the path to where Kirsch was finishing draining the blood of some animal they had hunted last night. He looked over to her as she approached and nodded. Even though they still deny it she knew him and Danny were more than friends. Not only catching them kissing every once in a while but also the small things they did for each other. She knew he was collecting that blood for Danny so she wouldn't have to hunt for her own substance later. She figured they tried to avoid being public with their affection as a ploy to play up past feelings or out of respect for her and….

Carmilla shook her head once more, “Damn I’m way too nostalgic today.” she groaned to herself as she began to help out Kirsch with the meat. They worked together in silence for a bit before some commotion from down the road made some of the other camp members murmur. She looked over, she wasn't too worried. There have not been too many raider type groups in the area in a long time, ever since they all learned this camp had one of the few surviving vampires left guarding it. As the noise grew louder she noticed it had the markings and makings of a trader. Good, she thought. It would be nice to refill on some supplies as long as this trader wasn't a greedy idiot. 

After a short time the trader arrived near the center of camp and Carmilla walked over to it so see what they had to offer, only to stop short a few feet when she saw who was manning the caravan. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to not only steady herself but to make sure she was not seeing things. She reopened her eyes to have her worries of who it was confirmed.

She approached the person’s line of sight and when she did they recognize her immediately and glanced at her with a look of sorrow and pity, “Hey Carmilla…” they muttered almost unsure if that was who they were addressing.

Carmilla sighed, “Hey Sherman.”


	2. Living In the End

## Chapter 2: Living In The End

### 5 Years Ago

An unnerving silence filled her ears as she stirred awake. No. Not really silence but a lack of noise. Like all the life around them had been sucked away and replaced by a void.

She tried to move but then a sharp pain was felt in her side. Instinctively she moved her hand over to the pain and felt a warm liquid. 'Well that's new' she thought to herself. What a lovely time to lose out on vampire healing she also thought and she grimaced and groaned while she began to try to sit up. 

She took in her surroundings only then having it all come back to her. The bomb. LAURA. Ignoring the pain she stood and scanned around her. She had to be nearby. The blast didn't throw them apart, it just knocked them down. Glancing over at what was the pit she only saw a crater. A crater going all the way down to hell itself it seemed. The bomb must have been placed down in the pit. It would explain the crater shape and how she wasn't vaporized immediately. Though if that was nuclear they were still close enough for radiation to be an issue. She knew based on the wind right now she should be safe...well safeish. She sighed and started to look around for Laura. "Never thought all that red scare stuff in the 50's would come in handy"

A whimper and cry from a nearby pile of rubble that used to be a building alerted Carmilla and she ran over to it. "Laura! Laura are you there? Are you okay?" She screamed as she started to dig through the rubble. She knew hiding behind a building to help shield from the blast would have its risks but scorned at that of course the building would fall on Laura and not her. 

“Hang on a sec cutie, I got you.” Carmilla groans as she starts to lift rubble off of the tiny voice under it. “Are you hurt, can you move?” 

After a brief moment and a small cough the voice replies “No, I think I am fine. Just I can’t seem to get these off of me.”

Carmilla started moving the smaller rocks off of her in the hopes that she wouldn’t have to move the larger ones, she suddenly felt the strain of her now human muscles. God she was so much weaker now. To think what seemed moments ago she was glad to be rid of her vampiric curse now has multiple times internally complained about how she missed aspects of it.

She worked on the rubble for a moment before getting to a rather large rock and strained to lift it when suddenly it began to move with much more ease. She momentarily faltered at her own strength but then heard another grunt from beside her and looked over to see both Danny and Kirsch helping her lift the rock.

“Don’t worry little nerd hottie, we got you.” Kirsch groaned as he tossed rocks aside. Danny easily tosses rocks aside as if they were pebbles. “Hang on Laura, we all are here.”

Carmilla’s pride was momentarily hurt by the need for the help of the others but at this point it was quickly overridden by the need to help Laura. They all worked together for a while giving Laura encouraging words that they were almost there. Then as if all of sudden there were no more rocks, just the face of a terrified yet grateful Laura. A second of silence between the group before Carmilla reached a hand down to help Laura get up. Laura reached up and pulled herself up with Carmilla’s help and they stood before each other.

“Hey…” Carmilla whispered, trying to break the tension and calm the mood.

Laura smiled a bit and then embraced Carmilla in a tight hug, “I was so scared I lost you.”

Carmilla held onto Laura tighter than ever, “Hey, I just got my life back. I’m not going to go away that quickly.”

Laura smiled into Carmilla’s shoulder and felt tears run down her face. She pulled away and looked around. “What happened?”

Danny scoffed, “There was a short radio broadcast before this happened, apparently the President decided that ‘due to a threat to the safety of the world’ this area had to be destroyed and contained.”

Laura looked puzzled, “The president of Austria? How did it get that far that fast. I know my dad went for help but he isn’t that convincing. I mean he must have come off as a paranoid dad trying to save his daughter from demons and vampire, why would they have believed him so easily, and to do this? Oh god what where was my dad? You think he is okay I mean we are, barely, and wait how are we ok-”

“Laura!” Carmilla interrupted. “We can talk about that later okay. I’m sure he is fine, but right now we need to get out of here before the ‘contain’ part of the destroy and contain plan happens.” She looked over to Danny and Kirsch, “Any plans for that?”

Danny nodded, “Yeah I got a vehicle i was going to use to leave before this all happened. It's far enough away to hopefully not be affected but not too far to run to.”

Carmilla nodded and turned to Laura again, “Let’s go creampuff.”

### Present Day

“Hey Sherman.” Carmilla spoke softly.

Sherman Hollis grimaced as that reply confirmed whom he was speaking to. “How….How you guys doing? Haven't been around these parts in what a year now?”

Carmilla nodded, “Yeah…” then looked over the caravan of goods. “Let me help you set up for trade.” She offered.

Sherman smiled. “Thanks.”

The rest of the day passed mostly uneventfully. Sherman traded a lot of odds and ends for some jerky and produce grown on the farms around here. Carmilla helped out here and there but for the most part avoided contact with Sherman as much as she could. Five Years. Five years and she still had trouble facing him. 

The rest of the camp though loved when he came, it was rare because he traveled so far around what used to be Eurpoe with his best friend Bob the Giant. The goods he brought were always in need and welcome, and with it being Sherman he practically gave away the goods to the camp. Always wanting to help in any way he could. Just like…

Carmilla blinked away those thoughts and looked around the camp as it started to settle in for the night. She calls it a camp but it's now more of a small village. With most of the partially standing buildings repaired and lived in. It was pretty close to pre-war living, well besides electricity and working plumbing. Well most of the water worked, just not enough to not have had to set up well pumps around the area. 

They were doing okay, despite the state the world was in. She had heard some governments had reformed but most of the world was just a partially radioactive wasteland. Especially here in the middle of Austria. She wondered if any of this would be different if they hadn't stopped her mother, would the world have turned out just like this if hell was on earth? Well like this but just with more demons and undead.

A small cough interrupted her thoughts as she looked over and saw Sherman approaching her. He got about a foot away and started overlooking the camp with her when he spoke, “Good thing you got going here.”

Carmilla just nodded.

“Still,” he paused and pulled something out of his pocket to hand to her, “Never can be too safe.”

Carmilla looked at what she was being handed and suppressed a smirk, it was a small can of homemade bear spray. “Still making the stuff?” she asked him.

“Yeah, still comes in handy, even against people.” He smirked as he stuffed his hands back into his vest pocket.

They stood in silence for a bit before a scream was heard from behind them. Carmilla turned and started to blindly run towards the sound of the scream. She knew who that voice belonged to and knew probably why they were screaming. She approached a small but well maintained house at the end of the street and hurried inside. 

“Oh no oh no where are they? Has anyone seen them?” A voice cried out in the darkness of one of the rooms.

Carmilla runs through the halls into one of the bedrooms of the house and turns on a small light in the room illuminating it slightly. It was a smaller bedroom with a maintained look and quite clean given the world they lived in. “Hey! Hey! Wake up you are having a nightmare!” Carmilla cries out to the person in the bed as they stirred awake quickly.

Perry opened her eyes to see Carmilla sitting on the bed next to her and immediately began to sob and hold her close. “I saw it again, my dreams made me see it again.”

Carmilla sighed and embraced Perry, “It's okay, it's over that was the past.”

Perry sobbed harder, “I know...but I still see their face as it happened….how it burned into me.” she cried out as she grabbed at her arm. Carmilla knew why she was grabbing there. The burns still showed after all these years. The burns caused by the bomb. By when she tried to save them. By when she failed.


	3. Nightmares of the Past

## Chapter 3: Nightmares of the Past

### 5 Years Ago

They had only gotten as far as the next building over when they heard weeping. It wasn’t out of place as there had been a good number of students still on campus when this happened. But as they started to pass it Laura stopped and looked over to the sound. Carmilla felt Laura’s sudden stop tug at her hand as she still held it tight. She looked to Laura’s concerned face turn to shock and pain and followed her gaze over to where she was looking.

Near some pile of rubble that was on fire kneeled Perry. Her arms red and blistered by burns. She was sobbing, staring blankly into the pile, lost in her thoughts.

Laura was the first one to reach her and when she neared the pile she stopped and gasped and quickly turned to Carmilla who was close behind and began to weep as well. Carmilla held onto Laura tight and looked over her to see what she saw. Under the rubble was an arm sticking out. Lifeless and bloodied and seemingly trying to grasp out at Perry, or maybe had pushed her out of the way as the rubble fell. The origin of the wounds on Perry became apparent as there lay some rocks near her. She had tried to dig them out. She had tried to save them. But she could only do so much before the fire hot rocks burned her arms to near disprepair. So they all stayed silent for a moment as they looked upon the arm sticking out of the pile. The arm of their friend. The arm of Lafontaine. 

It took the strength of Danny to pry Perry away from the scene and into the car. The entire drive she sat there staring at nothing muttering how she had to save them, how they saved her. She had to dig them out. The rest of the car remained silent as Kirsch drove with Danny in the passenger seat giving him directions with gestures of her hands and nods from Kirsch. Carmilla stared out the window as they drove away from the wreckage of their former university while Laura broke into the car’s first aid kit and was patching up Perry as best she could.

Carmilla still couldn't believe the last few hours. How it went from hopelessness to perfect to...to this. Looking back at the blast zone once more she could see a bit more clearly why they survived. There was no cloud, more like the ground itself was pushed away from the pit. The bomb must have been lowered into the pit right as they left it. Only it being that deep would they not have been vaporized. She rubbed her head and looked over to Laura, oh Laura. Even in this situation not caring about her own wounds and helping others. She smiled a bit at that. Even in these times she found something to grasp onto, her love of Laura and how no matter what it seems, she would always try to help.

The rest of the drive seemed like a blur as they reached a nearby village. It seemingly had already been evacuated by some force but it seemed better than nothing to rest and collect themselves. Danny had volunteered to help Laura deal with Perry’s wounds with Carmilla holding herself back. This wasn't a time for jealousy, this was a time to help. She then walked over to Kirsch who was talking to someone in the next room over of the abandoned hostel they had taken residence in.

“So not many more made it out?” She heard him ask the other person.

“No...and I would go back and try to look for survivors but I don’t know if it’s really safe.” The other voice replied, which she now realized belonged to their friend Mel.

She made herself known and walked into the room as the other too looked up to her and gave her a small gesture of greeting. “So...I may not be able to help out find survivors but I may be able to help with shelter.” Carmilla piped in.

Mel and Kirsch looked to each other then back to her, “What do you mean?” Mel asked.

“May not be undead anymore but I still have that Vampire trust fund. Could get us some proper shelter and food the next town over.” She offered.

Kirsch nodded, “Oh that would be a total bro thing to do! Thanks CarmSexy!”

Carmilla gave Kirsch a look at first but let the nickname go for now. She knew by now what he meant and just nodded, “Yeah we should leave soon so we can get Perry to the proper doctor.”

They all agreed and began to pack up what supplies they could find and load up their and Mel’s vehicle to head over to the next city. From what they could tell on the radios on the car all evacuees were being advised to flee to that city for help and medical care. They loaded up Perry carefully into one of the cars, by this point she had passed out due to either the pain of it all catching up to her or the total exhaustion of it all.

Carmilla sat down next to Laura and held onto her hand tight as she also held hers back. Laura rested her head on Carmilla’s shoulder and sighed, “Why did this happen? I thought we won?”

Carmilla couldn't find the right words to say to just nuzzled her head into Laura’s.

“My dad must have thought we needed more help than we thought. I let him go get help, I encouraged him.” She breathed out deep and whimpered a cry, “Oh god this is my fault.”

### Present Day

Carmilla exited Perry’s house after what seemed like an hour of calming her down. She hadnt had an attack like this in months. They were becoming less and less frequent but the intensity has not let up. It always goes the same. She relives her and Lafontaine running through campus happy to be alive, then the light, then the sound. Then the next thing she knows she has been pushed to the ground by Lafontanie and they are gone. They gave themselves to save her once again. And no matter how many scalding rocks she dug away she could never get enough out to save them. Only enough to dig out their face, to see into their lifeless eyes. That’s when she would wake screaming.

Carmilla walked back down the road to the main campfire area where Sherman looked over to her with concern, “She still has nightmares?” He asked her as she collapsed into a patio chair set up near the fire.

Carmilla nodded and sighed, “Yeah but not as often anymore.” Staring into the fire, trying to get her anxiety away of having to talk to Sherman.

They sat in silence for a while until the one thing she did not want to happen happened. “Have you um…” Sherman asked nervously.

Carmilla shook her head faster than she intended to cut him off, wanting to avoid the words being said. “No…”

Sherman took that as an answer and smiled as Danny and Kirsch approached the fire and sat with them.

“How’s it going old man?” Danny asked as she sipped some blood from a glass.

Sherman scoffed, “Says the ones who will outlive all of us.”

Danny smirked, “We’ll see…” Carmilla was glad that Sherman got along with the rest of the group, especially after he sprayed Danny in the face with bear spray that one time.

Everyone was silent for a moment until Sherman laughed to himself and looked to the group, “Did I ever tell you guys about the time Laura stopped a bank robbery when she was only 6?

Kirsch perked up, “No way Mr. Hollis! How’d she do that?”

Sherman smiled and began to tell his tale while the rest of the group enjoyed his company. Carmilla even gave a smile upon hearing certain parts of it, remembering how Laura was and what they did together.


	4. Past Catches up with Us.

## Chapter 4: Past Catches Up With Us

### 5 Years Ago

“Wait what?” Carmilla asked Laura confused.

“This is my fault, I essentially told my dad to get help, and now….now….” She trailed off in a whimper.

Carmilla moved and grabbed Laura by the face and glared into her eyes. “No.” She stated matterasfactly. “Just no. This has nothing to do with you or what your dad did. Neither of you have any control of what those idiots in charge decide to do.”

Laura breathed in deep and stared back into Carmilla’s eyes. A moment passed before Laura’s features softened and relaxed a bit. “You’re right. I’m sorry it’s just so much right now I don’t…”

“Well I know this is serious if you're at a loss of words.” Carmilla quipped after another moment of Laura trying to find her words. That got her a glare from her, “Sorry I know not the time.” Carmilla pleaded as she returned to hugging her small girlfriend.

“Do you think we will be able to get out of here?” Laura asked Carmilla after a while of silent cuddling in the backseat.

Carmilla nodded, “Yeah, even if we cannot drive out I know my way around this country well enough to know how to escape, hell it has to be easier than escaping during the cold war.”

Laura just made a small noise of agreement and slid more into Carmill’s side and slowly drifted into sleep.

Hours later they arrived in a much larger city in Austria and got Perry checked into a local hospital. There were not too many injured because of the low population density of the area of the university. That was one positive at least Carmilla thought. Though she wondered why it even got this far. While in a waiting room of a hospital, her and Laura were watching the news on one of the televisions, with Carmilla translating for Laura where needed.

Apparently the President, on advice from one of his most trusted advisors, took the nuclear option without the consultation of any in parliament or any other nation. And it seemed because of this at least half of the world was upset at him due to the large number of foriegn students attending the university in the blast area. But the odd part, Carmilla thought, was instead of begging for forgiveness from the much larger powerful nations as she thought any weak stupid polition like this would, they stood thier ground. Doubling down on the necessity of the bomb and vagueness of the supposed threat to the world that required it. The United Nations were already in session to condem his actions as well as propose sanctions.

Laura sighed, “Dumb politicions.”

Carmilla nodded, “Yeah dumb…”she murrmered, worry hiding on her face. She had seen this sort of stubborness before when it came to leaders. She knew what it led to in the past and feared what it might lead to this time.

“Hey Laura we should get out of Austria.” Carmilla whispered to Laura as men in suits yelled at each other on the television.

### Present Day

The sun had only been up for a short time before Sherman had all his belongings and remaining merchandise packed up and ready to go. Carmilla approached him as he was finishing up. “So no Bob this time?” she asked, forcing herself to find something to talk about with him.

Sherman chuckled, “If you are bringing up him I know you don’t really don’t want to talk.” Carmilla winced, she knew he knew she did not care much for him. Not that it was something against Bob himself, more of a past ‘disagreement’ with giants as a whole that made her want to avoid them at all costs.

A moment of awkward silence later Sherman smiled, “He’s fine. Hunting the recently discovered mammoths up north. He said it’s good meat and the fur is great for keeping warm.”

Carmilla shook her head, “Wow of course the end of the world brings back them.”

Sherman's smile faded a bit at the mention of the end of the world. He visibly took a deep breath and sighed.

“I know she doesn't blame you at all.” Carmilla spoke softly.

Sherman said nothing but nodded firmly.

“She would be really proud of what you are doing.”

Sherman closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Yeah...yeah she would be.”

“See ya around old man.” Carmilla smiled as he climbed up in the driver's seat of the caravan.

“You too old lady.” he quips out before turning on the vehicle. “If you want….” 

Carmilla stopped and turned back to him, looking puzzled.

Sherman collected himself and looked Carmilla in the eyes, “If you wanted to, I heard it might be wise to look around Vienna.”

Carmilla knew what he meant by that and just nodded. She of course had been thinking about that for a while now. But at the same time didn't want to really think too hard about it. Could she take that journey? Could she go there just for the possibility to see….no...it wasn't worth it. They needed her here.

So here she would stay.


	5. A Moment of Calm

## Chapter 5: A Moment of Calm

### 5 Years Ago

A month or two had passed since the bombing. And oddly enough life felt...normal? Like there was always the feeling of dread that the world was on the brink of war but other than that? They had an okay life going on. Carmilla stayed true to her word about helping with money and ended up buying a house in Berlin for everyone. She was able to convince everyone to leave Austria but they only got as far as Germany before the borders started to get locked down as tensions between the nations rose. 

So here they lived, all six of them in a modest house in Berlin. Kirsch and Mel managed to get some jobs locally because even though it was offered they didn't want to have to rely on Carmilla’s good graces forever. Danny kept her ears to the ground about what happened, trying to keep in touch with other vampires and otherworldly beings so they could remain safe on that front. Who knows if in all this chaos if an old ally of Carmilla’s mother or Vordenberg would surface to take advantage of it and attack.

Perry...well Perry was just surviving. From being possessed for god knows how long really to losing her best friend she had literally been to hell and back. She stayed up in her room most of the time, only opening her door to grab food offered to her. Although they all swear every once in a while when they are out they would come back to find the entire house cleaned.

As for Laura. Carmilla was always at her side as much as she could be. After seeing her former university obliterate her mortality has been at the front of her mind a lot lately so being around Laura seemed to diminish those fears and doubts. Laura herself had been handling this whole thing rather well, Though Carmilla could tell she worried about her Father. They have been trying to get a hold of him since the bomb fell but nothing seems to be working. Even having Danny and Carmilla visit the roaming giants of the Alps to see if any of them had seen Sherman or Bob. 

She also started keeping clippings of the worlds going on. She seemed just as determined to figure out why they used a bomb as she was to stop Carmilla’s mom. Carmilla knew she couldn't stop her down this path, only keep her safe. So that is what she did.

It was a cold sunday in the fall when Laura and Carmilla were sitting at a desk in a study of the house. Laura had just finished reading aloud an article about how the president of Austria was proud of his military and their recent annex of Croatia to give them access to the sea. This was only part of the ever growing conflicts in the area. Germany had stayed out of it so far but tensions near the border had gotten worse, and the United Nations was voting on if they should take more actions soon.

Laura put down her tablet and sighed, “This is getting worse, Carm.”

Carmilla looked over and nodded, “Yeah….but we will be okay Cupcake. I promise you.”

Laura smiled and Carmilla could tell it was because she truly believe her when she said that. “I love you Carm.”

Carmilla walked over to Laura’s side of the table and hugged her, “I love yo-”

They were interrupted by the door slamming open and a worried looking Kirsch standing before them.

Carmilla sighed and let Laura go for a moment, “Where is the fire? Or did we run out of meat again?”

Kirsch just shook his head and gulped, “No….it’s um…”

Laura stood and walked past Carmilla but she quickly followed her and grabbed her hand.

“It's Austria...they dropped another bomb.” Kirsch said finally.

### Present Day

Carmilla awoke late in the morning like normal. She had been getting better at not staying up so late. Stepping out of her shelter she looked around the camp. Mostly everyone was already busy living their lives out already doing tasks that needed to be done. This was her life too now. This small group of people. The thought of traveling always tempted her but when the rest of the world looked like this, desolite and destroyed, there was not much reason to travel anymore. Shortly after this all happened she did visit Paris one last time, just to see it with Laura at least once. It didn't live up to her hype though, and to be fair the city being half irradiated didn't help.

Kirsch walked up to her and handed her a small bowl of some viscous substance, to which Carmilla scrunched her nose, “Kirsch what is this?”

Kirsch smiled his big dumb smile, “Its oatmeal, or atleast i think it is oatmeal?” He replied bringing up a spoonful of the brown chunky liquid to his face to closer inspect it.

“When did we start growing oats?” Carmilla asked as she sniffed the bowl, almost recoiling at the smell of it, “And what did you add to it?”

Kirsch smiled even more, “Honey! I got it from Sherman.”He says taking a big spoonful in his mouth before visibly gagging and forcing a swallow, “At least I thought it was honey…” he finished defeated.

Carmilla tossed the contents of her bowl behind her into some bushes, which would probably die soon due that, and walked past the big puppy patting his shoulder as she sauntered by him, “Well at least you tried.” she sniped snarky.

Down by the communal kitchen she noticed Perry standing near a counter working on something and approached her, “Hey Susie Homemaker!”

Perry glanced over at Carmilla and smiled, smiled as if nothing was wrong and the whole world was perfectly normal again. Carmilla knew this was how she coped, by being Perry. By focusing on being a den mother for the camp and making sure things were well upkept and everyone was fed. “Morning Carmilla!” She said in an unusually chipper tone.

“Got anything edible today?” Carm asked as she took a seat at a bar stool near the counter. The makeshift dinner that had been converted into a workable kitchen and dining room for the camp.

Perry tilted her head, “Oh? I thought Kirsch brought you some oatmeal?” 

“Well he did, he just decided to add something not edible to it.” Carmilla groaned out and reached over to another bowl of oatmeal, sniffing it to make sure this one didn't have any fun additives.

“Ah...I told him that wasn't honey…” Perry muttered to herself as she went back to the large pot of oatmeal adding some odds and ends to it.

Carmilla ate in silence for a bit before putting her spoon down and muttering something under her breath, to which Perry perked up to and turned around to face her. “What was that dear?”

Carmilla cleared her throat still looking down at her half empty bowl, “I said Sherman told me I should check out Vienna.”

Perry said nothing but looked off to the side of nothing and sighed slightly. She knew she didn't have to tell Perry anymore, she knew what that meant.

“You...you should go.” Perry said after a couple more minutes of silence.

Carmilla looked up, “Really? I...I don't think I can deal with that.”

Perry walked over and placed her hand on Carmilla’s wrist, “It’s up to you dear. It really is.”

Carmilla sighed, “I know, but I cannot just leave you-”

Perry smacked Carmilla’s wrist lightly, “Carmilla Karnstein! You have already done so much for us here. I'm sure everyone would understand if you wanted to travel for a bit. Besides, we have Danny, Kirsch, Mel and so many others that do so much around here. They can handle it.”

Carmilla smiled at Perry’s forwardness there, “Yeah yeah….” She placed her spoon down in her empty bowl and stood up to leave, “I’ll think about it I guess. See ya around Control Freak.”

Perry smiled her fake smile back at Carmilla and waved as she picked up Carmilla’s bowl to clean it, “You better!”


	6. Past Haunts Us

## Chapter 6: Past Haunts Us

### 5 Years Ago

It all seemingly happened so fast after that. Austria dropped a bomb on a resistance camp in a neighboring country they were occupying. The blatant use of extremely excessive force by them to do this was a ought to tip the scales and trigger a global war. Most were against Austria for what it did while some other countries that were allied with Austria joined up with them partly out of fear of getting bombed next and partly because they shared disdain towards their now shared enemies. 

What seemed like months later a large group of refugees was fleeing Austria into Germany and were slowly moving into Berlin around where Carmilla and the group lived. While out shopping one day with Laura she was asking her about what vegetable they should get from a produce stand when she heard Laura gasp and drop the head of cabbage she currently held. Carmilla looked over to her and followed her line of sight to see emerging from the crowd was one Sherman Hollis. 

Laura sprinted over to her dad faster than she has ever seen her run and within moments they were both a weeping mess. After paying for their groceries Carmilla led them both back to her residence and they all sat in their living room.

“Dad what are you even doing in Berlin?” Laura asked after finally regained her composure. 

Sherman sighed, “Well after I left you two at the library me and Bob went to get help right? We reached some nearby village and I called over to the local police and told them everything, only afterwards realizing they must have thought I was crazy.” 

Carmilla moved over to the couch with Laura and sat next to her, placing a hand on her knee as Sherman continued, “So after they laughed at me for a bit this man in a suit came over and said something to the police and they all shut up real fast. He then told me that he was from Vienna and they heard reports of demonic activity and the president himself had an interest in this.”

Sherman took a look over at the surprised faces of the group listening in to him, as both Kirsch and Danny had entered the room at some point since he started. “Yeah I was just as surprised as you. I thought this guy was messing with me at first. But yeah he pulls out this ID and it says he is from some sort of Austrian government police agency and he tells me to come with him so I can explain in private what happened.”

Sherman took a deep breath and looked defeated, “Next thing I know I’m being black bagged, dragged to God knows where and interrogated for what seems hours.”

Laura stood up and walked over to her father, “Oh my god! Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”

Sherman shook his head but Carmilla could tell by his limited movements that there was still some pain residing in him. Sherman pushed his daughter onto his knee and rubbed her back, “Naw it takes much more to bother me you know that!” He forced a smile.

Carmilla couldn't tell if Laura bought what her dad was saying or was just letting it slide because all she did in response was smile and nod. “Okay, just with all that happened I was so worried about you.”

Laura’s father hugged his daughter tight, “I promise I am okay, I only heard about what happened after I got out. I...I didn't know if you got out in time. I tried to go back there but they forced all of us out of the country.”

Danny shook her head, “Why are they doing that?”

“Well it was weird, one day I’m in an austiran jail cell and the next all the doors opened and they just let everyone leave.”

Kirsch piped in this time, “Everyone? Woah thats hardcore.”

“Yeah….” Sherman continued, “it seemed like they wanted to empty the prison as much as they could and I ended up getting caught up with a group of people being forced to leave the country. They kept saying that we all should get out while we could. Like they were giving us mercy versus staying there.”

“Well with them dropping bombs left in right seems some of them think that they are doomed maybe? Carmilla mutters seemingly uninterested

“Maybe I don't know all I know is that I am here with you guys and we are getting you all someplace safe before this gets any worse.” Sherman says in a loud dad voice to the group.

Smiles break out in the group momentarily before they all fall as they hear the sound of a loud siren going off in the distance. Whatever was happening out there, it was here.

### Present Day

A couple weeks have passed since Sherman's visit and Carmilla still found herself at her camp. It seemed like every time she had a chance to leave something would happen to come up that would make her stay. Not really make her stay but give her another reason not to leave. She hated herself sometimes for her cowardice in these excuses. She knew she should just bite down and take the journey, but it was so hard to actually do it. 

Hell what if there wasn't even a point to the trip? What if Sherman was wrong about what he heard and what she desired was not in Vienna. Desired? Did she truly desire this after all that had happened? She would be lying to herself if she said no. God she missed what she had so much. But would it ever be like that again? Could what she had ever be repaired or returned to her? 

It was late evening as Carmilla sat at the fire blankly staring into it thinking these thoughts. She hated times like this where things got slow enough that she could get lost in her thoughts once again. She learned to appreciate the mundane and redundant just for the sake of distraction. She didn't even have that many books to read to help out either. She read thorough what pitiful excuse of a library this small town had years ago. Three times already. 

The fire crackled and stirred as Carmilla's eyelids started to get heavy. Sleep would be a good distraction she thought. 

Just then a shot rang out of the darkness beyond the campfire. Carmilla shot up and looked around. A gunshot was not as a common occurrence as one would think here. It meant an animal attack or… or worse. 

Danny approached her from the side and stood near her, "It came from the south border. I don't see or hear anything else."

Carmilla continued to stare in that direction, Do you smell anything?" Reminding Danny of all her enhanced senses. 

Danny inhaled deeply and eyes widened, "Gunpowder? And...cheap cologne?”

Carmilla thought for a moment that it may have been Kirsch or one of the other guys in the camp shooting an animal or goofing off when suddenly they rang a second shot through the darkness, this time causing a tree about a foot away from Carmilla’s head to explode from the impact.

“Shit!” Carmilla cried out as she ducked and scurried over to a downed tree for cover from the direction she assumed it came from. Someone was shooting at them. Danny soon joined Carmilla under the cover as more shots started to sound and screams quickly followed.

Danny looked over Carmilla quickly to assess her condition, “You okay?”

Carmilla just nodded to that and looked over the log, “Yeah I’m good, go! Go help!” She yelled over the screams.

Danny gave her a look of acknowledgement and jumped over the tree and ran towards the violence. Carmilla looked over the tree and cursed herself for not keeping a weapon on her. Then again attacks like this were so infrequent that the need for them seemed to not be in the front of her mind anymore. She watched as what appeared to be men dressed in dark attire approached the fire as Danny stood menacingly.

“What are you doing here? We are not looking for trouble!” Danny yelled at the attackers, showing some restraint instead of lunging at them.

The men paused for a moment to look Danny over, then turned to each other, “She’s not the target.” One of the men said.

Target? Carmilla thought to herself as Danny yelled once more interrupting that thought, “I don't care what you are here for, you are not hurting anyone here!”

Carmilla heard some of the dark dressed men gasp and mutter. Danny must have exposed her fangs to them, as some of them also started to back away crying out “Oh god they are real!” Carmilla watched as the other men raised their guns towards Danny. “There is another one! Engage second target!”

Suddenly gunshots rang out and faster than Carmilla could see Danny was upon one of the attackers, hand on their throat growling deeply. The man tried to push her off but soon was nothing but a gurgling bloody mess as Danny pulled her hand away from the man’s throat along with a large chunk of the throat itself.

The other men screamed out and began to fire in the direction of Danny. Carmilla knew Danny was being reckless, even with vampiric speed dodging multiple gunshots was not an easy feat. As she watched the carnage before her and witnessed Danny bite into another attacker's neck she felt someone approach her from the side. Instinctively she turned to hit whomever it was but stopped just short of striking them when she noticed it was Kirsch.

“Dammit dude don’t do that!” Carmilla whisper yelled at him.

Kirsch didn't pay much attention to Carmilla as he was too focused on looking over to Danny. There was worry in his eyes as he gripped the firearm he had tighter in his hands, waiting for an opening to go help.

Carmilla looked where Kirsch was looking just to see Danny stand up, blood dripping from her hands and mouth. There was so much of it she couldn't tell if it was her’s or theres. She didn't have much time to think about that as she heard Danny scream out in pain as she crumbled over. Within what seemed a second Kirsch jumped the downed tree screaming out and firing towards the attackers. The remaining attackers turned their attention towards Kirsch and returned fire. Some of the shots hit the tree Carmilla was hiding behind causing her to duck down with her hand over her head behind it. 

The shots continued for a little bit before they silenced. Carefully Carmilla peered around the log to see what had happened. Before her she saw Kirsch helping Danny up with all the attackers seemingly downed. Carmilla quickly jumped the log and ran over to the pair. Kirsch seemed to have a wound on his arm but ignored the pain of it as he helped Danny stand. Danny on the other hand seemed much worse, With every movement she made she winced in pain and almost seemed to collapse.

After other people came out of hiding and confirmed that it was all over Carmilla and Kirsch helped Danny over to the closest shelter and laid her down on a counter. “What’s going on dude? I thought she was like a vampire bro? Aren't they supposed to have super healing or something?” Kirsch asked Carmilla worriedly.

Carmilla looked Danny over for a moment, they had laid her down on her back and couldn't see any wounds, “Help me flip her over.” she instructed Kirsch.

As soon as they flipped her on her back Carmilla couldn't hold back a gasp as she saw her wound. In the small of Danny’s back was a gunshot wound, a gunshot wound seeping black blood.

“Is that a normal vampire thing?” Kirsch asked Carmilla with much worry in his voice.

Carmilla shook her head, “No…” This couldn't be what she thought it was...could it? She leaned over and looked over the wound closer, careful not to cause more pain to Danny than she already was in. Then she saw it, buried deep in the wound was the glimmer of what she feared. “Shit, it’s silver.”

Kirsch gave Carmilla a dreadful look, “How bad is that?”

Carmilla sighed, “Really bad.” More so she thought because whoever these people were they came here armed with silver bullets, meaning they came here with the sole intention to kill a vampire. Carmilla’s eyes widened when she remembered what the men said. That Danny was not the target. 

Carmilla was.


	7. Journey's Start

## Chapter 7: Journey's Start

### 5 Years Ago

The sirens turned out to be a warning of the declaration of war that Germany and Austria had now entered, advising all residents to either bunker down or evacuate as reports of Austrian troops nearing the border were broadcast across the news and radio.

It was a late evening a few days later and no attack had happened yet, there even were talks of a ceasefire before any violence even started. Hope was starting to return to the people and Carmilla sighed as she thought maybe they averted another global war.

The television drawled on in the background as Carmilla and Laura sat on the couch cuddled close together. They haven’t really had many moments just to be with each other since this whole thing happened. Carmilla took these moments whenever she could. She took hold of Laura’s hand and brought it to her face and nuzzled into it a bit, causing Laura to hum in appreciation.

“This is nice Carm.” Laura said breaking the silence between them.

Carmilla just nodded and kissed the back of Laura’s hand a couple times. The rest of the group were out either shopping or trying to see if they needed to move soon. Sherman had left a little while ago to see if he could meet up with Bob the Giant again and try to acquire safe passage that way leaving Laura and Carmilla pretty much all alone in their big house.

“Yeah it is cutie, yeah it is.” Carmilla said between kisses.

They sat in silence just enjoying each other’s company when they both heard something odd. “And I would like to extend a thank you to one Laura Hollis.”

They both perked up at the mention of that to see that it was the television that had said that. They had not been paying much attention to it but now realized that it was set to a news station where the president of Austria was giving some sort of press conference. He had paused for a moment after mentioning her name and the murmurs of the press could be heard.

“Who is Laura Hollis?” One of the reporters finally asked.

The president of Austria smiled a wicked smile, “Well she is the lovely student of the former Silas University whose vlogs posted online alerted me to the presence of the grave threat we faced from there and how it had to be dealt with swiftly. If it was not for her, none of this would have been possible. And to that we will not back down in our mission to rid the world of these evils using any means necessary.” he finished, staring directly into the camera’s as if speaking to Laura and Carmilla themselves through the television.

The media pool erupted in questions as Carmilla quickly reached for the remote as a voice over took over the broadcast, “Well that was an odd statement from the President of Austria Mr. Stra-”

Carmilla quickly put herself between the television and Laura and looked into her eyes, she saw what she was afraid of. Horror. Laura sat in silence staring at nothing for a moment as if taking all of this in, trying to make sense of it all. Carmilla couldn’t believe it either. What was going on?

After what seemed like hours dragged on from mere seconds Laura twitched, “none of this would have been possible if not for me?”

“Sweetie you had nothing to do with any of this I don’t know why he said that” Carmilla replied quickly trying to ground Laura back to reality.

“No...he said my name, Carm. He. Said. MY. Name.” She cried out, pointing to herself while emphasizing each word strongly. 

“Yeah so he saw your blogs, a lot of people did. No one else started a Nuclear war over it.” Carmilla said reassuringly.

Laura shook her head and stood up quickly and sharply, almost knowing Carmilla over. “No! He personally thanked me for inspiration to start all of this!” She gestured wildly around herself as she paced the room as Carmilla followed her, outreaching to her, trying to embrace her to calm her down.

“Laura listen to me please.” Carmilla pleaded.

Laura stopped at the mention of her name by Carmilla and looked upon her former vampire girlfriend with extreme sadness and guilt in her eyes.

They stood there for a moment not moving or saying anything when Laura said the one thing Carmilla was dreading she would say, “Carm….we have to fix this.”

Carmilla closed her eyes and cursed internally, she knew this would be the path Laura would want to take. It’s like they knew exactly how to press her buttons in a way to make her do this. “Laura wait…”

“No Carm!” Laura interrupted loudly, “This whole end of the world is because some mad man with a nuke saw my vlogs. We need to stop him before he destroys the whole world!”

“We cannot stop an entire army! We barely stopped my mom and she only had a bunch of frat boys protecting her.”

“Carm we have to try!”

“NO!” Carmilla basically screamed at this point, causing Laura to pause and take a small step back in shock.

Carmilal sighed and looked down defeated, “I….I can’t lose you again…” she finally sighed out weakly.

Laura took a deep breath and shook her head. “I know...I don't want to lose you either...but I cannot stand by and do nothing. I have to know why this man thought my vlogs meant the world deserved to be nuked and if we can stop him.”

“Laura if we do this it will be worse than when we fought my mom. When we were ready to die together then I was content in that we stopped my mom. But now….I got my life back” She says standing and gesturing to herself. “And I don't want to spend the rest of it risking it all when we could just live it out, together.”

Laura was silent for a moment, “But we will have each other, we can keep each other safe.”

Carmilla shook her head, “I am not willing to take that risk cupcake. I told you how I got you back last time, i don;t think they would give me a second chance at the game.”

“I am willing to risk it.” Laura stated definitely after a small pause causing Carmilla to look up and stare at her tiny fearless girlfriend. “I am willing to risk it because you know why. If we can save the world I would rather try then do nothing. We might be able to stop this!”

Carmilla felt devastated, she knew she was not going to win this fight no matter how she pleaded and begged but she was going to be damned, once more, if she did not at least try, “Please Laura. Don’t do this.”

Laura choked back tears, “I have to do this.”

Carmilla collapsed on a chair, “I….I cannot.”

Laura approached Carmilla and kneeled in front of her. “I know you don't want to lose me, but we will get through this.”

Carmilla said nothing and just shook her head slightly, tears falling from her cheeks.

Laura grabbed onto Carmilla’s hands and pulled her up, “Hey, let’s get to bed for now okay?”

Carmilla nodded and followed her girlfriend to bed.

Hours later Carmilla awoke in the middle of the night, sheet draped loosely around her naked body. She turned over and noticed something wrong, she was alone in bed.

“Laura?” Carmilla asked the darkness of the room.

There was no answer.

“Laura!” Carmilla cried out a bit louder now and quickly turned on a light. The room was empty, nothing seemed out of place except for something on their shared desk. A note. Carmilla approached the desk slowly, dreading that the note could say. When she finally saw it she collapsed into a mess of tears and sobs.

Carm -

I have to do this. Don’t look for me. I will be safe I promise. See you when this is over. I love you so much.

Laura

### Present Day

The first night was horrible. Danny screamed in pain through most of it even after Carmilla with the help of Perry removed the bullet lodged in her back. Kirsch never once left Danny’s side, holding her hand and letting her know it was okay the entire time. After Danny finally passed out from a combination of pain and exhaustion, Kirsch still stayed by her side. Carmilla entered the room at one point to bring Kirsch some water to see him crying over Danny, wiping her hair out of her face.

She stopped short not to bother them as she heard Danny stir awake, “Stop crying idiot.”

Carmilla had to suppress a laugh as she heard Kirsch scream in excitement, hug Danny and then hear him get smacked by her. “Ow that fucking hurt.”

“I’m sorry D-bear, I’m just so happy you are okay.”

“Yeah it’ll take a lot more than a lousy bullet to take me down.”

“Yeah but...still…” Carmila could hear Kirsch sniffle a little.

“Hey hey, I am okay. I promise. You are not getting rid of me that easy.”

Carmilla heard some movement and peared in the room to see the pair kissing. She cleared her throat, “I was going to offer you some water but you seem to be getting fluids another way.”

“Shut up ex fang.” Danny barked out but then recoiled in slight pain.

“Hey take it easy, it’s gonna be a bit before all the toxin from the silver clears your body.” Carmilla says as she offers Kirsch the water and Danny some blood from a nearby bag.

“Shit it was silver? No wonder it hurt so much.”

“Yeah but D-bear you were so awesome taking out those guys.”

“Well yeah I know I’m awesome, but who were those guys even? Why did they attack us?”

Carmilla sighed, “I think...I think they were after me.”

“You? But they came here with silver, you aren’t even a vamp anymore dude.” Kirsch pointed out.

“Yeah I thought about that, the only people who know I am not a vampire were just us and the few people we were around after we stopped my mom. Anyone who knew me from before would assume I was still vamped out.”

“That doesn't explain why they wanted you.” Danny quipped as she sipped on some blood.

“True. But if whoever sent these people sent them armed with those tools, I think they might not be the last of them.”

Kirsch and Danny both nodded. “So what’s the plan then bros?”

“Well...we need to leave I think. They know we are here and the longer we stay the more likely we will be attacked again.”

“Not everyone will want to leave” A voice replied from the doorway. The group turned to see Mel standing there. “But then again they are not after everyone.”

Carmilla nodded. “Yeah it should just be me that leaves.”

“Hell no, I am not letting you wander off to fight against a bunch of vampire hunters.” Danny growled.

“Like you're going to stop me.” Carmilla retorted.

“Well too bad then cause I’m going with you.” Danny decided.

“If D-bear is going I’m coming too, I'm never gonna abandon my bros.” Kirsch added in.

Carmilla sighed, “Anyone else want to come?” she said, giving up the fact that not only would she lose this argument, the help of some friends would be rather appreciated.

Mell snorted, “I think I should stay, help defend and keep things in order here till all you idiots come back.”

Carmilla nodded, “Fair, but first I need to figure out where to go even.”

“I might be able to help with that.” A timid voice piped in from the door behind Mel.

The group turned to see Perry holding something looking small and fragile.

“What is it?” Carmilla asked, breaking the tension.

“Um well I was helping clean up the….er...bodies…” she seemed disturbed to say that word, “and I found this!” She ended a little proudly walking over handing Carmilla what appeared to be some sort of ID. It was an ID of the attackers, it listed them as members of the Secret Austrian police force against the supernatural. Carmiall looked dumbfounded. It was that lunatic who ended the world that was after her? Why? 

She read aloud what Perry had found to the group and Danny sat up, “Well that settles it, I guess we are going to Vienna.”

Carmilla and Perry shared a look as they all broke apart to prepare to leave.

Of course it had to be Vienna Carmilla thought.

=====

They had just reached the border of Austria when they decided to make camp for the night. Carmilla would have liked to press on but with Danny still not at one hundred percent and the others tired from constant travel any more moving and they might not be able to handle another attack. 

Carmilla was lounging in her tent she had set up when she pulled out something out of her pocket. She unfolded the paper she held with care and looked it over, rereading the words she had read countless times. It was the note Laura gave her before she left. She touched the words themselves on the paper as if to want to hold them close to her. The rest of the group by this point had assumed that something must have happened to Laura. She hasn't made contact with any of them in around five years.

They looked for her for over a year straight. They thought they got close a couple times, especially when Sherman found out and he managed to organize a bunch of the giants to help out. The last rumor they had of her was she was around Munich in southern Germany but days before they could reach there the rest of the bombs fell. The world already on a knife’s edge finally tumbled over to the side of ruin. Munich was gone after it was all said and done, along with most of the world. They still looked after that but there were no more rumors or mentions of her anywhere. She, if not taken by the bombs, was lost.

Perry, Danny, Mel, and Kirsch held a makeshift memorial service for her around year three. Carmilla refused to take part. Sherman tried to make it but Carmilla thought a part of him refused to believe it and he didn't end up coming. He always kept looking and only recently had rumors of a woman whose description was similar to Laura. Perry was the only one who believed Sherman whenever he would bring up the sightings and often suggested to Carmilla she should go check it out. But Carmilla already went through so much pain, so much sorrow over Laura leaving it was hard for her to actually act at the possibility to see her again, only to be let down. 

It wasn't that she didn't want to see her, God she would give anything to see her again but damn her cowardice if they were all wrong. That if she allowed herself to have hope once more only for it to be dashed away. She couldn't take it. And now with them going to Vienna for this reason with a possible sighting of her from Sherman it started to break down those walls. Those walls keeping hope out. She sighed as she folded up the note and put it away once more. She hadn't looked at it in years but that sliver of hope she was now feeling made her want to look upon the last thing of hers she had.

Carmilla’s descent into a mental battle of hope and despair was interrupted by a scream. It was Perry. Carmilla jumped up and hurried over to where she knew her tent was only to see the frazzled redhead walk out of her tent in a seemingly calm matter but with a look as pale as if they had seen a ghost.

“Another nightmare?” Carmilla asked Perry as she came to comfort the shaking figure.

Perry seemed to snap out of her daze and look at Carmilla, forcing a slight smile. “No...no...that’s not it…”

Carmilla noticed how maybe the smile didn’t look as forced as she thought, “What’s going on?”

Perry looked nervous, and glanced back at her tent, “Um….I think I have finally lost it. Or um...they are back.”

Carmilla looked puzzled, “They are back? Who?” Carmilla asked as she started to push past Perry towards the tent. Could it be? Was there the slightest possibility ever that it could be?

Carmilla entered the tent and their jaw almost dropped to the floor at what they saw.

Before them stood, all bit a little bit see through and kinda floaty, someone they hadn’t seen in five years.

“Oh hey Carm.”

Carmilla smirked, “Hey Bio Nerd.”


	8. Madness of Power

## Chapter 8: Madness of Power

Lafontaine stood, or rather floated, before Carmilla with a look as if what was going on was completely normal.

“So….what brings you back to the land of the living?” Carmilla asked after a moment of awkward silence. 

Lafontaine smile dropped a bit, “Ah so that is what happened. I figured I must have died.”

Carmilla nodded and turned the back to the entrance of the tent where Danny and Kirsch had joined Perry. She waved for them to stay with her for now while she figured out what was going on.

“Death is weird, one moment you are alive, the next it's all gone, and then you are where you go. It would have been great if I could have documented as it happened, maybe got some rea-”

Carmilla cleared her throat to interrupt Lafontaine’s thoughts. Of course of all people Lafontaine would find their death something to research. “So you are...a….ghost?”

Lafontaine looked at their semi see through self, “I guess so.”

“How? Did someone summon you? Ghosts don't just appear.” Carmilla questioned. She did not meet many ghosts in her time on the earth but when she did they were aways tied to some weird ritual or cursed item.

“I don’t think that’s what happened, I think I was able to leave the underworld because it's really kinda busy there.”

“What?” Carmilla asked disbelievingly.

“Yeah, after I...died? I felt myself being pulled to someplace. And when I got there it looked kinda like the door your mom opened.” Lafontaine thought aloud. “I got in but after a little while it was someone turned the faucet on full blast cause souls starting coming in so fast and so many that the people in charge couldn’t handle it. They managed to keep everyone in but…”

Carmilla nodded, “But?”

“I may have been able to slip out while no one was looking.”

“So you literally snuck out of hell?” 

Lafontaine thought for a second and smiled, “Yeah! It's awesome!”

Carmilla just smiled at her friend and then looked down in worry for a second. “That’s awesome but did you…” she trailed off.

“Did I what?”

“Did you see anyone you knew come in before you escaped?” Carmilla asked, afraid to know the answer.

Lafontaine gave an inquisitive look and slowly nodded, “Yeah, like a couple of other students and professors from Silas?”

“Um...did you see...Laura?” Carmilla asked, forcing the last word out in barely a whisper.

Lafontaine looked shocked and thought for a moment, “No...I didn't see Frosh there. What happened Carmilla?” 

Carmilla explained what she knew so far to Lafontaine about Laura and the ghost looked like they were in deep thought. “I honestly don't remember seeing her, but...there were a lot of people coming in at once, like thousands or more. I could have missed her.”

Carmilla said nothing and just nodded. Part of her was glad to hear that as an answer, but she did not want to let it get her hopes up. Carmilla stood up and headed towards the entrance of the tent, “Come on Dead Nerd, let’s go say hi to everyone else.”

The rest of the group was, in the least terms, terribly shocked to see their former dead friend back in their current state. Danny was concerned that it was a trick in some way before Carmilla explained more about ghosts to her, Kirsch screamed and claimed not to wet himself a little when asked about the dark spot on his pants and Perry… Perry remained quiet for a while sitting by the campfire, staring blankly into it.

After talking to everyone Lafontaine approached Perry and sat, well sat as well as a ghost could sit, next to her. The rest of the group went to their tents to give them some space but Carmilla left her tent open and could overhear what was being said.

“Hey Per…” Lafontaine said.

Perry said nothing for a while and when she did speak it was soft and weak, “You died…”

“Yeah...yeah I did.”

“I watched you die because you saved me.”

A moment of silence passed, “Of course I saved you Per.”

Carmilla could hear Perry sniffle, “But I lost you….”

“I know...but…” “But I found a way back Per. I never stopped trying to find a way back.”

“I’m happy….I’m so happy you are back but you’re….you’re a….”

“A ghost Per? Yeah I know...but then again when I was known to be normal?”

Perry laughed a bit, “Are you back for good or just for a bit?”

Lafontaine sighed, “Don’t know to be honest. It took me a while to find you guys and that whole time nothing was after me so I think I am safe. But I’m going to stay here as long as I can Perry.”

“Stay with me?”

“Yeah of course. You’re the reason I fought so hard to come back.”

There was a moment of silence only broken up by a sniffle or two from Perry. “I love you weirdo.”

“I love you too control freak.”

The rest of the journey was for the most part uneventful, which was good all things considered. There were no signs of any other attack group, only the occasional other travelers or traders. And when asked none of them have seen anything like the men who they encountered. The city they were heading towards, as they were also told when asked, was a ruin mostly picked clean besides the small groups living here and there in it as well as the capital where the president still lived supposedly. No one has really been seen going in or out of there.

The city was quiet when they finally arrived, most of it in rubble and the parts that were not were abandoned or boarded up. There were not many signs of life anywhere. Large parts of the city were irradiated but it was easy to avoid them, most other travelers and scavengers have put up signs and warnings all over the place. Plus on top of that Lafontaine found an old geiger counter laying around right outside the city while doing some recon. It was getting late when they approached the former capital, the only building in the area that seemed to have life in it. It was lit up with lights everywhere, walls topped with wire constructed around it and guards patrolling all over it.

“Good to see those in power hanvet lost much '' Carmilla said to no one as they stopped short of the capital, taking cover behind a nearby building. Danny and Kirsch sat near looking over the capital telling each other how they could sneak in or betting with each other how many guards they could take out before alerting the rest while Perry tried to find a cleanish place to sit with Lafontaine helping them out. Carmilla was looking around seeing maybe if there was a safe place to camp for the night before attempting anything when the entire area lit up brighter than if it was noon.

Carmilla and the group winced and closed their eyes to shield themselves from it as the sound of marching and yelling came from all around them. Shit. Carmilla blurraly looked around and saw what seemed to be countless armed men surrounding them as the flare shot up above them started to dim slightly. Danny and Kirsch stood quickly back to back ready to take on the world while Perry hid behind a rock with Lafontaine going transparent. Carmilla looked all around as the men around them raised their weapons towards them. She looked towards Danny and saw fight in her eyes then back at the men around them as one of them stepped forward. 

“Surrender now and you will not be harmed.” The man yelled at them.

“Like hell” Danny said through gritted teeth, hiding the pain she was in.

“We are armed with silver and will use it if needed.” The man replied calmly back.

Carmilla looked between Danny and the man, Danny’s eyes looking back to Carmilla, then Perry, then Kirsch. Carmilla knew that look. She knew Danny was thinking not if she could take them, but if she could take them while protecting the rest of the group. Carmilla shook her head sadly towards Danny, she knew what the outcome would be if any of them tried something. Danny was fast but not stop more than twenty armed men before the rest of them got shot fast. Danny sighed and nodded back to Carmilla and lowered her arms, but never not glaring at the guards.

Carmilla sighed and closed her eyes to collect herself. She cursed herself for letting this happen but in the state Danny was in and how many of there were they really had no chance but to surrender. Looking around her dank and dark cell she couldn't see much. She was alone in her small confinement but could hear the sounds of her friends in nearby cells. Kirsch and Danny were both yelling to be let go and this isn't right. Perry was just quietly sobbing with Lafontaine trying to comfort her. That was not good. Why did these special force type goons care so much about their group of dimwits? One thing was obviously that they wanted to kill vampires. Maybe they were in cahoots with friends of Vordenberg? Even though he was dead she knew he had many friends he rubbed shoulders with that were in higher power positions. 

After being lost in her thoughts trying to solve why they found themselves in this predicament a loud noise of a door being slammed open and boots marching in snapped her back to reality. She stood and walked over to the bars of her cell and watched as a large number of armed men walked down the hall, aligning themselves down it in front of the cells. A man yelled out something and then the armed men raised their weapons towards her and her friends. She closed her eyes while she heard Kirsch start to beg, Danny yelled for them to bring it, and Perry just cried more.

“Fear is quite a motivator isn't it?” A stern and loud voice rang out from the end of the hall.

Carmilla strained her neck to try to look down the hall to see who was speaking. She knew she heard it before but from where?

An unnerving silence fell upon the group as the sound of footsteps grew louder as the man approached. He came into view shortly after and stood before Carmilla’s cell. It was the President of Austria. “Hello Carmilla.”

The former vampire looked with both anger and bewilderment at the man outside of her cell, “What? How do you know me?”

The president smiled. “It's not me that knows you. It’s my son.”

The president smirked and stepped aside to reveal that behind him stood, with their usual trademark look of smugness, Theo Straka.

“You?” Carmilla asked, even more confused.

“Yes me.” Theo replied with a smirk.

“What? Wait what? You are the president's son?” 

“Adopted. But yes.”

Carmilla looked between the pair, “What does any of that have to do with us?”

Theo put up a finger as if to say wait a moment and stepped aside. Carmilla stood for a moment while she heard her friends mutter in confusion as well.

The cocky man returned a moment later holding something. “I may have taken something in all the confusion why you all were having fun in the pit.”

Carmilla looked upon what he held, it was a book? No...it was that book. The book Carmilla risked herself in that damn room of knives for, the book that helped them stop her mom, the book about all the gods and prophecies. “Theo...what are you doing with that?”

Theo smiled and casually opened it to a random page pretending to read it, “Oh this? This has so many interesting things in it. Like how the gods of old live, the balances of life and death, and, oh and I particularly love this entry, how to become a god.”

Carmilla’s eyes widened, “What?”

“Oh yes…”

Carmilla looked at them as if they were completely and utterly mad, “Theo, you don't know the powers you are dealing with. The gods are not to be easily trifled with.”

Theo gave an annoyed and smug look, “I know what I am doing, why do you think all of this has happened?”

After a second of silence Carmilla closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, “Are you saying you and your dear old dad here literally nuked the world for this?!” She almost yelled.

“A small price to pay for absolute power.” Theo’s father spoke up, “I get to rule the entire world of the mortals here, while my genius of a son gets to rule the other realms.”

“Oh my god, you are more insane than my mother literally opening hell just to see her past love.”

Theo laughed an almost stereotypical evil laugh, “No, not insane. Just insanely smart.”

“So again, what does that have to do with us?” Carmilla asked with a sigh, “Were you afraid we would stop you just like my we stopped my mom?”

Theo shook his head, “No no….the only one we were afraid that would be a thorn in our side was dealt with years ago.”

Carmilla thought for a moment. No. No it couldn't be. She was afraid to ask but the word escaped he mouth anyway, “Laura.”

Theo nodded, “Yes. Of all of you I knew she would have been the only one to push you idiots to try to do something. So she was taken care of.”

Carmilla held back tears and anger grew in her stronger than anything she has ever felt before as she screamed obscenities at Theo, screamed curses, screamed until her voice went hoarse. The others joined in shortly after hearing what Theo had said. Kirsch denouncing Theo’s bro status and asking how he could do that to little nerd. Danny threatened violence in more ways than most could imagine. And Perry cried. Just cried.

After a moment of their outburst Theo passed the book to his dad and raised his hands as if to calm the group screaming at and threatening him. “Please please what is in the past is in the past. She doesnt matter anymore, what matters now is you.” He said redirecting his attention to Carmilla.

“Oh yeah i matter, I will matter when I shove your arm so far up your a-” Carmilla yelled.

“Come on. You are in no position to threaten.” Theo replied calmly as if everything was calm between them all. “But by all means weaken yourself with your rage, it will make this easier.”

“What easier?” Carmilla asked, venom dripping from her voice by the gallon.

“Oh well the sacrifice.”

Carmilla did not reply only glared daggers into Theo as he grabbed the book once more. “For what I want I need to give all that was given back to them.”

Carmilla sighed, “Screw your stupid riddles.”

Theo smirked, “Oh, but they are just so much fun. All you undead walking this world of living must be given back in order for the ritual to work. There can be none of your kind on this plane.”

“That’s why you sent the goon squad? To kill me?”

“Yes.” Theo replied as if it was a simple question, “Oh and thanks for hanging around Lawence. Made it a lot easier than having to hunt her down.”

Danny resumed her yelling of threats and pounding against her bars and Theo turned towards her, “Don’t bother that silver in you still has you weak enough to where I don't even have to stab you in the back to take you on.”

Danny ignored that fact and stood her ground with her threats while Carmilla walked over to the bars, “Why capture us then if you are just going to kill us?”

Theo scoffed, “Well partly to keep the rest of your mutts on a leash and also that I can’t just kill you. I must give you to the other side.”

“Other side?”

“Yes, all of your kind must be given back for this to work, so I needed you weakened, hence the silver, and brought here to be killed.”

“Well too bad not bro, Carm here isn’t even a vampire anymore!” Kirsch yelled out between his threats that Theo had mostly tuned out.

Theo's eyes widened and looked at Carmilla, noticing that she was breathing for the first time, “Oh that is interesting. You will have to tell me how you did that some time, but for now, we still have Lawanrce'' He stated as he snapped his fingers and a large number of the armed guards approached Danny’s cell.

“Oh hell yeah bring it!” Danny yelled out as she prepared to take them all down the second the door opened.

“I wouldn't do that if I were you.” Theo calmly warned.

“Why the hell shouldn’t I, you bastard?”

“Oh cause if you act up, I just might have to put down your puppy.” He said as another part of the guard group raised their weapons towards Kirsch.

Danny paused and tried to put up a facade, “Don’t fucking hurt him.”

Theo laughed, “I always knew there was something going on there.”

“Don’t worry about me D-bear, don’t go with them” Kirsch pleated.

Danny sighed and time itself seemed to slow as she wondered what to do as the guards approached her cell to open it. As the cell door clicked open she lowered her arms in defeat.

“D-bear! No! Don’t do this.” Kirsch begged.

Danny looked over to Kirsch with sadness in her eyes, “I have to. I am doing this for you you idiot.” She paused, “I love you puppy.”

Kirsch couldn't hold back the tears as he reached out of his cell, “I love you too Danny”

Kirsch’s voice had long since been lost from crying out and screaming when Carmilla laid in the sad excuse of a cot this cell had. She didn't know what to do. Whatever madness Theo and his dad were planning was going to be near impossible to stop at this point, and who knows if they would survive after that. She had just about passed out finally when she heard something move, like metal on metal. She stirred and looked over to her cell door. It was open.

Carmilla stood and slowly approached her cell door, weary of what could have done this and if death awaited around the corner when someone dressed head to toe in black came into view. They were wearing a guard outfit but seemed a lot shorter than all the other ones. The guard stopped in front of the cell and Carmilla closed her eyes, “Just do it already, don’t make me wait” she gritted out accepting that death was here and there was little to no escape.

She heard something hit the ground but no gun shot. Her eyes slowly opened and saw that the guard had taken off their helmet, revealing long blonde hair and a face she swore she would never ever see again.

“Hey...” Laura said smiling.


	9. Laura

## Chapter 9: Laura

### 5 Years Ago

It was the middle of the night and she had not gotten to sleep yet. The internal fight she was having was too great to allow her to sleep. She knew she had to do it. She had to go and see what her part was in all of this. Why was she singled out? But to risk it again after she finally thought it was all over? Was it worth the risk?

Laura sighed and sat up in the bed she shared with Carmilla and looked over to her girlfriend. God she was beautiful Laura thought as she gazed upon Carmilla’s form light slightly by the moon and starlight coming in through a window. She knew she wanted to spend the rest of her life with this woman. The woman she loved more than anything. 

Laura then turned her head and looked around her bedroom. It was in decent condition but was a tad messy, more due to Carmilla’s inability to clean up after herself than anything, and out a window on one of the walls. The world right now in the night almost felt normal. There was silence all around except for the sound of some late night travelers outside their home in Berlin, and Carmilla’s shallow sleepful breaths.

But the world wasn’t normal. Or right. A madman using her as a partial excuse decided to try to start a war, and by the looks of it wants to make the war global, perhaps even nuclear. Things were going to get so much worse before they would get better. Would that world be worth living in? Would it be worth it for her and Carmilla? How much longer would they have before the world caught up with them and they get lost in it?

Laura closed her eyes and breathed in deep as tears escaped her eyes. She knew she had to do something. If there was even the slightest chance for her to be able to do anything to stop the world from ending once more she would do it. She knew it would hurt Carmilla. She knew she would be devastated. Maybe even hate her. Laura didn’t want Carmilla to hate her but if she did this and it worked she could spend the rest of her life begging for forgiveness. 

Laura softly climbed out of the bed and started to gather her belongings in a bag. She wouldn’t be gone that long, just long enough to go to Vienna, talk to this mad man, and come back. Even if in the end she couldn't completely fix this she would at least be somewhat content in that she tried. She was still going to try her damndest to fix this, that's for sure, but an attempt would put at least part of her mind at ease.

Zipping up her bag she walked over to the desk and grabbed some paper and a pen. She would leave a note. It wouldn't make it any less painful for Carmilla, but at least tell her where she went. As she wrote the short note she watched as tears fell onto it. She didn't realize she was crying. Crying as if this was goodbye. She shook her head, no… this was not goodbye. Only a short time away she convinced herself as she steaded and signed the note. Glancing once more over to Carmilla she nodded in resolve. She would make the world better. For both of their sakes.

It didn't take long to reach Vienna. She was able to hotwire an abandoned car, laughing a bit that her dad taught her that and never thinking she would need it, and got all the way to the border uneventfully. It was at the border that it got a bit tricky. All the normal roads were closed so she had to leave her borrowed car and find a creative way around to cross over. She made it through a by sneaking through a dense forest by the skin of her teeth. She knew it would be well guarded but this seemed downright overkill for a random forest in the hills of Europe. After crossing she managed to find another vehicle and drove carefully under the limit all the way there. She was technically here illegally so she did not want to draw any attention to herself.

About 3 days had passed by the time she reached the capital. Only realizing then she didn't really know how she would get close enough to talk to the president. Parked a block away from the capital she watched as guards patrolled around and showed little to now weaknesses to break through. Just then a knock on her window interrupted her thoughts. She looked out and saw a palace guard looking at her grimly.

Laura rolled down the window and forced a smile, “Hi…”

“You have been parked here for an hour staring at the Capital,” He replied in english.

Laura was taken aback for a bit from the guard replying in her native language, “Um...well you see…”

“Your presence is requested inside, would you please come with me?” He stated as he opened her car door.

She smiled nervously, “Oh crap…”

After being pulled from the car she was escorted into the capital and brought to a waiting room of sorts with fancy furniture and a fireplace bigger than her dorm room back at Silas. She sighed staring into the fire. Well this was not what she expected. Not only was she caught but she was expected it seemed? Also they knew who she was? Maybe this was more than she thought she was if guards could recognize her on sight.

Just then a door opened and Laura turned towards it expecting maybe the president or a guard but who she saw made her jaw drop to the ground.

“THEO?!” She practically yelled out.

Theo smirked and walked over to a table and poured himself something from one of the decanters on it. “Yes, I’m glad you remember me.”

“What, wait how did you get out of the pit? And what are you doing here? Did you have something to do with dropping the bomb?! How are you-” 

Theo sighed and held up a hand to stop Laura’s rambling. “Still quite the talker I see. But to answer your question, yes.”

Laura waited for a moment, “Yes to which part?”

“To the bombs.” he stated as it was normal.

Laura was about to run across the room and deck Theo when the door opened once more and the president walked in with several armed guards. “Ah so she is here! Great.” He said in a calm tone as he joined Theo for a drink, “Wait is she alone?”

Theo nodded and the president sighed, “Is that going to be a problem with our plan?”

Theo shook his head, “No, it just means that it may take a little longer to find her, but at least we got this one out of the way.”

Laura looked between the two, “Her? What is going on Theo?”

“Well my genius son here is going to be a God.” The president said, dripping with pride towards his son.

Laura’s eyes widened, “Son?!”

Theo laughed a bit, “I’m surprised none of you idiots realised it sooner. Then again taking your father’s middle name as your last does throw some off.”

Laura stood flabbergasted for a moment, “Okay….so why me?”

“Why call you out on national television? Because I knew it would draw you here. You and your stupid lois lane menatily would make you want to find out why we called you out, cause you would feel at fault.”

Laura took a step back, realizing that with the guards there there was no easy way out of here. “Why?”

“Because,” Theo said while walking over to the table opening a box, “you and your group of dimwits are really the only other ones who know about this.”

Laura stepped closer and saw what was in the box. The book they used as a talisman to stop Carmilla’s mom. “What are you doing with that?”

“This book has so much more in it than just how to seal away evil vampire deans gods. It also tells how one can become one.”

Laura scoffed, “You want to become a god?”

“Not want, am going to. And now that we have you out of the way that pretty much deals with most of your friends. Without you they won't have the drive to try to stop us, but we will still have to deal with her.”

Laura gulped, “Her?”

“Your vampire lover. Which is why I was hoping you would have brought her with you but alas, we will have to hunt her down.”

“Leave Carm alone! She is finnaly happy and has nothing to do with your stupid assencion to godhood.”

“Oh that is where you are mistaken, she has everything to do with it.” Theo states as he opens the book and beings to paraphrase, “For a god to be pulled into the realm or the mortals, a balance must be in place and all those in all the realms must be in their rightful place.”

“What does that mean?”

“Well it means all the undead freaks of the world must be...well removed. Lawrence will be taken care of as soon as she is found but some should be ridden of through special means which is why I really wanted your girlfriend here.”

Laura had turned white at what Theo had said before her and almost drew blood from how hard she was balling her fists. Theo then put the book down and approached Laura, “See I could just kill our undead broody girlfriend, but using her as the last one to sacrifice to the portal to seal it open, oh that would be so much fun.”

Within a second it seemed Theo was on the floor gripping a bloodied nose and several armed guards were all surrounding Luara with guns raised. She didn't even realize she had punched him until she felt a sting on her hand and blood from his nose dripping off of it. 

“Ah fucking bitch.” Theo cursed at her as he regained his composure and stood.

Laura couldn't help but smirk a little, “Still not good at a fight against a woman head on I see.”

Theo, holding his nose pointed towards the guards, “Lock her away for now, I will deal with her later.”

Laura felt bold, perhaps because she had bloodied her captor, or perhaps because at this point with her and Carmilla’s death seemingly intimate she wanted to push her luck. “Are you afraid to face me yourself Theo? Danny didn't get the chance so how about you give it to me?”

“No no...I won't bow down to your level of barbarity. I will deal with you trust me, but it will be on my terms, so it will be fun.”

Laura spat at him as the guards grabbed onto her and dragged her out of the room, with her yelling and screaming at Theo for being pathetic and a coward and that no matter what he did his plan would fail.

### 2 Years Ago.

Laura awoke in pain. She felt like she had been tossed around like a sack of potatoes in a dryer after being removed from the capitol building. She looked around her dank wet cell she found herself in and sighed. “Gee Theo didn’t know you were a Bond villain.”

Theo wanted to kill her, obviously, but instead of just shooting her or something like that he decided he would do something bigger. So after keeping her his prisoner in the cells of the capital for a year, or so she had felt, he told her that they planned on dropping another bomb on Munich in the near future so he had her transported there and locked in a cell so she would be evaporated along with the rest of the city. 

“Maybe this will be like a Bond movie and something miraculous will happen right before the bomb drops and I will escape?” She asks the darkness around the cell. Along with her being locked in a cell with what appeared to be a much upgraded lock in a seemingly abandoned jail, based on her screams for help being ignored, she was also chained to the wall by her leg. 

“At least don’t this be like Saw…” She whispered to herself.

“I would like to play a game.” A voice said from the darkness causing Laura to scream louder than she thought she ever could followed by laughter.

“Oh god that was priceless!” The voice says as it seems to materizle out of the darkness.

Laura gulped down her fear and focused on the figure, it was dark in there and hard to see but with the small light she had she was able to see a face, “Mattie?”

Mattie walked towards her and sat down on the cot next to Laura. “Yes it’s me, visiting you in this wonderful little place you have here.” She says disgusted.

“What...what are you doing here? Can you help me? Listen Theo is going to-”

“Oh I know,” Mattie says calmly, smiling at Laura, “Being essentially a walking vessel of a God gives one some insight to the world's activities.”

“So you know what is going on! Please tell me you can help?!” Laura begged the apparition of Carmilla’s sister before her.

“Unfortunately there is not much I can do. Theo is using powers above me to do what he wants done and besides he came with a pretty good idea to distract those who can stop him.”

“What do you mean?”

“With him nuking the world of course, with all that death and souls leaving the land of mortals it will cause most of the gods to have to deal with the sudden imbalance and fallout of that, giving him the perfect opportunity to capture one of the gods and take over them.” Mattie explained.

“So he does plan on causing the apocalypse.” Laura lemented.

“Yes it seems as if the world will finally destroy itself. It will still be a while before he is able to do the ritual, not until death surrounds the mortal world and chokes out the land of the dead.”

“Is there...anything I can do or are you just here to welcome me to that land of the dead?”

“Oh no...as much as we would love to take you it's better if you stay here, at least for a little while longer. You were smart to leave my dear sister out of this though.”

“Yeah...at least she will be safe for now. Wait! Is she still okay?”

“I have not collected that debt yet, child. Especially with her mother giving her life it will be a while before I can claim that prize.”

“So just here to talk then?”

“Oh no...I may not have any power to stop Theo directly, but the book he is using was written by the hands of man and can be destroyed by the hands of man…”

Laura scoffed, “Maybe I can get Kirsch to help with that…”

“Oh no, it's quite more literal, the hands of the man who wrote it long ago. If the book is placed in the hands of them the book’s words and power will return to the gods. And luckily for you little one men of his stature were mummified back then.”

Laura perked up, “So there is a way!”

“So it would seem but…” Mattie looked up just as air raid sirens started to blare, “You may be a bit short on time.”

Laura pulled on the chain against the wall in vain to try to break it, “Can you help me escape? Please?”

Mattie stood up and brushed herself off, “No can do I am afraid.”

Laura looked upon Mattie with pleading eyes, “....please.”

“Oh sorry, I meant I cannot help you, but he can.”

Laura only had a second to think of what she meant when suddenly a side wall of the cell blew into the small enclosure as Mattie seemed to evaporate into shadows. Laura coughed as dust settled around her and peered out the sizable hole in the wall to see a hand the size of her torso reach in and grab towards her. She panicked for a bit at this sight before the hand reached up and snapped the chain that held her like it was a toothpick. Shocked she started to pull away from the hand as it turned and went to grab her.

“Hey now I don’t know how effective Krav Ma Graw would be against you but I still know it!” She said as the hand went to grab her. She flinched and awaited for the pain but found the hand’s grip gentle not restricting as it then pulled her out of the cell. As her eyes adjusted she found that the hand belonged to a giant of a man, about fifteen or more so feet tall, smiling at her.

“Laura?” the voice asked in a deep tone.

Laura gulped, “....yes?”

“Sherman is looking for you.” 

Laura’s eyes went wide, “My dad! Wait...you’re Bob?”

The giant nodded.

“Oh well...good to meet you...Bob...but um, we need to get out of here now. There is going to be a bomb dropped soon.”

Bob just nodded and began to run out of the city holding onto Laura very carefully. As they left she noticed it seemed as if most of the city had been abandoned and didn't see anyone as they left. They had just reached the outskirts of the city when a bright light appeared behind them. Laura and Bob both turned towards the light and saw it engulf the city as a mushroom cloud rose from where they just were.

“Oh god no...Bob! Please tell me you found her!” A worried voice shouted from the nearby forest.

“Dad!” Laura yelled out as Bob put her down and she ran to him.

“Oh god Laura you are alive!” Sherman cried as he embraced his daughter. 

They hugged for a moment then Sherman led Laura to a makeshift camp a little while down in the forest where a campfire had been lit. 

“Are we safe here dad?” Laura asked sitting near the fire for warmth.

“Yeah we are well outside the city and the fallout zone. Especially with the winds we have today.”

There was a moment of silence between the two as Bob sat nearby eating what appeared to be a charred dear. Laura looked up to her dad and saw that look, that look of they were about to have a talk. “So….dad….um…”

“Laura Eleien Hollis. Why did you run away from Carmilla?” he said sternly.

Laura was taken aback from her dad being more concerned about what happened to Carmilla than his daughter risking her life again. “I….I had to.”

“Explain.”

Laura explained how Carmilla and her fought over doing this and how she decided to just leave, thinking that she would at least talk to them to see how she was involved. Sherman nodded to her tale, “I understand why you did it hun, just know that your friends have never given up looking for you. They will be so glad to have you back.”

Laura smiled then remembered what Theo said, about how he needed Carmilla for what he was doing. She sighed and looked down, “Dad….I need you to tell them you couldn’t find me.”

Sherman looked shocked, “No, Laura I need to take you back.”

“No dad! I need to finish this. There is something I can do to stop,” she motiones back to where the city was, “this and I have to try to do it.”

Sherman breathed deep, “I figured you had a good reason, but why not get Carmilla and your other friends to help you?”

“No, I cannot risk it. The-um...they said that part of what they had planned involved killing Carmilla and Danny.”

“So you want me to lie to them? Lie to the woman who loves you that I couldn't find you in a city that just was nuked?”

Laura smiled at her dad telling her that Carmilla loved her, but slowly nodded. “It’s...it’s better this way for now. Until I know I have a way to keep them safe. They cannot know dad. They cannot know that you found me or that Carmilla and Danny are in danger.”

Sherman took a sip from the cup he had near him, “Okay.” he finally sighed out.

“Really? I thought it would take a lot more convincing.”Laura wondered aloud.

“Look, do I like your plan? No. Do I agree with a plan that once again puts you at risk over all others? No. But you are my daughter, we’ve had this talk before and I know how it ends.” Sherman states glaring into his daughter’s eyes.

The sound of Bob snoring and the fire crackling filled the air for what seemed forever as silence stayed between the father and daughter.

“Thanks dad...I love you.” Laura spoke up after a while.

“No problem kiddo, love you too.” Sherman signed out.

### 1 Year Ago

Laura’s travels took her to ancient tombs and forgotten villages all over Europe and the middle east. Around her world tensions broke and the bombs had fallen. She prayed so much that Carmilla, her friends, and her dad made it through, but she couldn't stop to go and try to find them now. She was so close. After almost a year and a half of searching she finally found the location of what she was looking for.

In her research she found out that the book was written by a sort of prophet of the god Anu, the apparent king of gods when it came to the old Sumaerian Gods. It was written for the extended purpose to help control or deal with the other lesser gods. She figured even among the gods there was mistrust and issues that must have either scared Anu in either giving the power to deal with the gods to the mortals, or as a backup if something were to happen to them.

After they had finished writing this book it was hidden from the world, to prevent its misuse. Laura had to laugh to herself at the irony of that of course after they found it someone would misuse it. Then the prophet apparently spent the rest of their time on this world preaching the greatness of the gods before being laid to rest in a temple somewhere in the middle east.

She walked into the decrepit temple she had found carved into a cliff face somewhere in Egypt. According to all she read this is where the Hands of Man were. With them maybe she could still stop this. There was still time, she could feel it. 

Laura pushed open the doors to the main room and gasped. It had been burned. The entire room was covered in soot and ash of all the items that used to be in it burned to nothing.

“Oh no no no!” Laura cried out as she ran around the room looking for what she needed.

She moved some half burnt wood out of the way and stopped suddenly. 

“Fuck…” Laura muttered as she saw what looked like to be a broken mummified hand missing most of its fingers with a half burnt picture of Theo smiling holding the other hand up as if to wave to the camera. He knew about this. How? Theo had the other hand and there was no telling where he hid it or if he just destroyed it already. Her one magical macguffin she was hooping to use was gone.

There was nothing she could do.

### 1 Month Ago

Laura’s hope has essentially been extinguished. The world was near to the point she was told that would be prime for Theo to do the ritual, the one thing she could get to stop him was gone, and she hadn't been able to find Carmilla or any of their friends anywhere. And even if she were to find Carmilla would she forgive her for these past years away? Would she still love her? She had traveled most of Europe looking for them with no luck. It had been a rough week in the wilderness of what she assumed to be Germany when she noticed a group approach her. She carefully chose not to reveal herself to the group until they got close enough to where she saw a familiar face.

“Oh my god Mel?!” Laura cried out as she jumped from her hiding spot.

Mel turned fast and pointed her crossbow towards Laura quite quickly, then almost dropped it in shock. “Laura!?”

Laura walked over to Mel as she instructed the rest of her group to stop for a moment and rest, which they gladly did as Laura barreled into Mel with a hug.

“Oh my gosh it's good to see you!” Laura exclaimed then saw the look in Mel’s eyes, “What?”

Mel pushed Laura off of her, “Thought you were dead.”

Laura pulled back, “Dead? Why would you think that?”

Mel explained what happened, how they looked for her, how the last time they heard about her was in a city right before it was bombed. Laura smiled once more at the thought of Carmilla looking for her that much, she still loved her she hoped. She was glad her dad was able to convince them not to keep looking for her after they spoke last though.

“Well no, I am very much alive. Are the others here?”

Mel shook her head, “No they left a little while ago after we were attacked.”

“Attacked?”

“Yeah, some group from Vienna attacked us with silver bullets, my guess they were hunting vampires.”

Laura closed her eyes and sighed, “Is….Is Carm…”

Mel smiled, “Yeah she’s fine. Danny got hurt though.”

Laura smiled at the news of her Carmilla being unhurt but felt bad to feel good about that when hearing what happened to Danny. “Where are they?”

“They went to Vienna, to see why they were attacked.”

Laura looked full on panicked, “What! No. They cannot go there!”

“Why?” Mel asked blankly.

“Cause if they go there then he will…oh god I have to warn them. I’m sorry Mel I have to go!” Laura cries as she starts to pick up all her stuff quickly.

“I figured, it’s fine.” Mel said looking over her group, “I got these lot to look over anyway. Go save your girl Laura.”

Laura nodded at Mel, gave her one last hug and turned off into the darkness of the night.

She had to save Carmilla.


	10. At the End of All Things

## Chapter 10: At the End of All Things

Carmilla couldn't move. Well she probably could but her body was not letting her. Laura was there. In front of her. Smiling her smile.

“...Laura?” Carmilla got in barely whispering.

Laura nodded and stepped into the cell with Carmilla. “Yup...look I know you have every right to hate me for leaving but I was only going to look into why they named me not like try to do something stupid. But then Theo showed up and told me his big evil plan and threw me in jail where Bob, who really is an actual giant by the way, saved me before the city was nuked and took me to my dad who I told not to tell you because…”

Carmilla had walked up to Laura while she ranted and touched her shoulder. She was real. This wasn't a dream. This wasn't fake. She leaned forward and kissed Laura, cutting her off.

Laura pressed into the kiss as well but after a moment broke away, “Theo told me they needed you for the ritual and I wanted to keep you safe and then Mattie appeared and told me about this thing I could get to…”

Carmilla cut her off with another kiss. Which Laura happily returned then pulled away, “But Theo had already gotten the thing to stop him so I was kinda hopeless and lost then I ran into Mel who told me…”

Carmilla put a finger to Laura’s lips, “Cupcake. How many times do I have to kiss you to shut you up?”

Laura smiled against the finger and mumbled, “One more time.” As she embraced Carmilla in a hug and kissed her deeply.

After a brief moment someone clears their throat causing Carmilla and Laura to separate and look over to see Lafontaine floating there.

“Oh my gosh Laf?!” Laura said loudly as she went to hug the apporation but passed right through them.

“Oh wow so that’s how that feels.” Lafontaine said to himself as Laura passed through them and almost crashed into the wall behind them.

“Wait? Are you a ghost?” Laura asked, steadying herself and standing back up.

“Yup. Isn’t it cool?”

Laura shook her head and looked back to Carmilla who was smirking at the sight before her. Lafontaine looked between the pair and sighed, “Um, I’ll try to wake Perry and Kirsch up.” and floated through the wall.

Laura walked back over to Carmilla, “Hey…”

Carmilla sighed, “Don’t ‘hey’ me Laura. You left me.”

“I had a good reason like I said and I found out that-”

“Yeah I know, I was listening.”

“So...do you?” Laura asked after a second of silence.

“Do I what?”

“Hate me now for what I did?”

Carmilla sighed, “Cream Puff, I don’t think I could ever actually hate you. I don’t think I will be able to forgive you as of now, but there is no hate. Right now I am just happy you are alive.”

Laura smiled and gave Carmilla another hug, “Come on, let’s let the others out before more guards come back.”

“And then what?” Carmilla askes, already knowing the answer.

“Then what?” Laura replies.

“Do you have a plan to stop Theo? To save Danny?”

Laura shook her head, “Not really...but..”

“But you still want to try.” Carmilla finished.

Laura nodded.

“Well...let’s go.” Carmilla says shrugging as she exits the cell with Laura.

Fancy elegant hallways turn into more industrial looking corridors that warp into cavernous paths as they make their way down towards the ritual site. “Anyone else getting deja vu?” Kirsch asks with levity.

“I’m surprised you even know what that word means.” Carmilla groaned out as she dragged along. This was one of her least favorite parts of being mortal, much less stamina.

“Carmilla! Don’t be mean,” Perry quips.

“He is right though, I wonder if we will make a habit of going into unknown depths of caverns or pits to try to save the world?” Laura thought aloud.

“Not a habit I would like to make honestly, cutie, but if you actually let me come with you I think I could live with it.” Carmilla said in a somewhat sarcastic tone.

Laura slowed her pace and reached over to put a hand on Carmilla’s shoulder, “Yeah...I know…”

Carmilla stopped for a moment and turned to Laura, “Hey...I’m just messing with you. You're back and that’s all that matters. But for real though I am not letting you out of my sight anymore.”

Laura smirked, “Fair enough.” And leaned forward and gave Carmilla a quick little kiss.

“Hey lovebirds, are we going to be saving the world this year?” Lafontaine said as they floated over between them.

Laura squealed at the sight of their ghostly friend between them and took a hard step back, “AH! Gosh darnit Laf! Don’t scare me like that.”

Lafontaine just shrugged, laughed a bit and floated back to Perry as the group resumed their trek. The path seemed to go on for miles as after what seemed hours they reached a door someone had set up in the cavernous hallway. It was large, metal, and sturdy looking.

“Damn, wish we had the beanstalk to help break this open.” Carmilla groaned out as she felt around the door for a way to open it.

Laura just smiled and walked up to the door and swiped a keycard she pulled out of seemingly nowhere and the door let out a loud beep and began to open.

“Well well well Creampuff, aren’t you full of surprises?” Carmilla drawled.

“The guard I stole this outfit from came with a couple of extra items it seems.” Laura said innocently.

Carmilla just shook her head as she pulled open the door the rest of the way and the group made their way into the room. It was a large open cavern with incredibly high ceilings and lights fixated to all the walls to light up the room quite well. The constant hum of a large fan providing air covered their noise of an entrance as they snuck over to a pile of boxes and equipment and survalied the rest of the room.

Near the center was a large metal arch shaped structure with an unknown number of wires coming and going to it from consoles set up around it. In front of the arch was a raised platform leading up to it with many odd looking things set up along it. At the controls of one of the computers was Theo’s dad while Theo himself stood before the portal speaking something unknown.

The group looked upon this scene for a moment and then Kirsch made a noise and attempted to stand while Carmilla held him down. 

“It’s Danny!” he whisper yelled at Carmilla. She shot her attention towards where he looked and saw Danny strapped down to a standing stretcher, reminding her a bit of Silence of the Lambs.

“I know but look!” Carmila instructed Kirsch to something he hadn;t noticed. The two armed guards on either side of Danny each sported what looked like automatic weapons.

“We have to do something!” Kirsch cried.

Carmilla looked to Laura, “One of those extra things wouldn't have happened to be a gun would it?”

Laura shook her head, “No, he only had this.” She said as she pulled out a police style bottan and looked over to Lafontaine, “Can you float over and grab the book?”

Lafontaine shook their head, “No, incorpuleablity dosent let me interact much with the physical.”

“Damn.” Carmila cursed as a noise drew her attention back to the main area. The arch started to crackle and spark.

“Phase One done, wait for stability then insert the vampire.” Theo’s dad said looking over readings on the screen.

Kirsch went to stand again but Carmilla held him down. They gave glaring looks to each other and then glanced over to Danny. She looked like hell. They must have been either keeping the silver toxin in her body to weaken her or were starving her because she looked as if she couldn’t even hurt a fly. Kirsch looked at Carmilla once more as tears formed in his eyes, “Carmilla please. We have to save her.”

Carmilla looked as Theo placed the book down on a table and turned towards his father at the computer. An idea came to Carmilla. The table was close to a pile of items and based on how the room was she figured she could sneak over to it and grab it without them noticing. She looked towards the rest of her group and motioned for them to stay as she left their hiding spot.

She managed to get all the way around to where the table was and glanced over to see that Theo was still with his dad and the book was unguarded. She slowly approached it and made it to just behind the table. The book was right there, all she had to do was reach up and grab it. She raised a hand up over the table and felt around for it, panicking slightly when she couldn't feel it. Confused, she peeked her head over to look at where it was only to see Theo standing there holding the book, smirking at her, “Hello there.”

All of a sudden Kirsch, who must have been watching, jumped out as well and ran over to Danny only for the two guards to fire at him. Kirsch stopped short of Danny as the guards kept their weapons trained on him. 

“Cute try, but still doomed.” Theo laughed out as he turned towards where Perry and Laura hid. “Check for the other behind that.” He instructed one of the guards. 

One of the guards walked over and motioned his gun towards where Perry and Laura were. 

“Come one out now.” Theo cried out.

Perry and Laura stood up. Theo tilted his head and gave an odd look.

“Well, you are a bit harder to kill than I thought.” Theo said at last to Laura.

Laura just gave him a dead look and walked over with Perry to where the guards have collected them all with Kirsch. Carmilla looked over all of them with a sorry look. They messed up, they had one chance and they screwed it. She reached out and grabbed tight onto Laura’s hand as they looked at each other with fear in their eyes.

The president walked over to them and laughed an evil laugh.

“You think a group of college dropouts could stop me? I am destined for greatness, I am destined to rule the world. By my hand and my hand alone shall the world be forged and by my fist shall it be ruled over. I am the Alpha! I am the Omega! I am-”

A gunshot rang loud into the room and Carmilla instinctively looked towards Laura to make sure she was okay. She stood there, completely unharmed with a look of shock on her face towards what was in front of her. Carmilla then looked back towards the President and saw him reach down to his chest and then pull away a bloodied hand.

“Wha…” He muttered out before another gunshot sounded off and the front of his head exploded outward onto that floor before him and his body collapsed upon itself. Carmilla looked to where she figured the shot came from and saw Theo standing there with a smoking gun in his hand.

“Evil speeches are overrated.” He says in a calm demeanor and motions towards the guards to start to bring Danny forward.

“Dude you killed your own dad?” Kirsch asked puzzled.

Theo laughed a bit, “Actually, he never was my father, he only thought he was. This book really is quite amazing.” He then walked over to Danny, “And he was no longer needed but his army now under my control is welcome.” He smiled towards the guards standing before Carmilla and her group.

“Now, let’s bring the last of the undead fiend of this world to the portal to complete the ritual.” Theo snaps at one of the guards to help push Danny’s stretcher forward.

Danny weakly starts to laugh, “Still can’t face me in a fair fight coward?”

Theo turns to her, “Terms of cowardice and such are pointless, I need you alive, well as alive as you are, when I enter you in the portal.”

Danny smiles, “Really now?” 

“Yes now com-” Theo is cut off by the sound of restraints breaking as Danny used what was probably the last of her strength to break out of them and fell to her knees.

Theo looked at Danny annoyingly, “Really now? That was your big epic move? You cannot even stand, what did you hope to accomplish?”

Danny coughs a bit then turns to Kirsch with a look of sadness and determination in her eyes. She mouths an ‘I love you’ to him as she turns back to Theo and smirks, “This.”

What happened next was something no one but Danny seemed to know would happen. Danny reached up to her chest and punched it hard, then again, then again. Theo yelled for her to stop and tried to get the one guard not watching the group to stop her. Kirsch yelled at Danny to stop as well, begging her not to do whatever she had planned while Carmilla just held Laura close while the blonde starred with dead eyes at what her vampiric friend was doing. 

Danny screamed in agony as her punches became more and more bloodied and with a loud crack tossed what looked to be several ribs out of the way and reached into herself and grabbed her own heart.

Theo looked completely dumbstruck and shook his head, “No...no you can’t.”

Danny scoffed, “Watch me.” And with a bloodied smile, ripped out her own heart and then collapsed to the ground.

Kirsch screams out in agony and in all this distraction Laura punches the guard in front of her knocking him down as Carmilla runs to the other guard to try to take them down.

“No! You stupid undead bitch! What did you do?” Theo cried out towards the corpse in front of him.

Kirsch sprints towards Theo as Larua gets into it with the guard she knocked down before he could get back up while Carmilla turns and runs behind cover as the other guard fires upon her and Perry.

“Shit, Laura look out!” Carmilla yells as the armed guard aims towards Laura.

Laura squeaks and dodges behind some cover as bullets rain around her. 

Carmilla leaned out of her cover for a moment and the guard turned to fire back at them, only to hear clicks. He was empty. This was her chance. She quickly jumped over the over and ran to the guard as he attempted to quickly reload. Carmilla had just reached him as he slid the new magazine into his gun and instead of firing he turned it and hit Carmilla with the stock of the rifle and knocked her to the ground. Carmilla groaned in pain and saw as the man went to aim his gun at her when suddenly he was knocked back violently as he was shot several times. Laura turned and saw that Laura was able to get the other guard’s gun and had fired it.

Carmilla smiled and ran towards Laura, “Holy shit cupcake, that was hardcore.”

Laura just smiled and they turned as a loud noise got their attention.

While that was happening Kirsch essentially tackled Theo and punched him repeatedly, “You son of a bitch, you are totally not a bro!”

Theo kicks his leg up knocking Kirsch off of him and stands quickly, “So barbaric, it’s a wonder how you even got into Silas.” He smirked as he pulled a small dagger out of his belt.

Kirsch yells loudly and sprints towards Theo who dodges out of the way and gives a quick stab down to Kirsch’s shoulder. Kirsch groans in pain and grabs at his bloodied shoulder.

The portal behind them starts to flicker a bit and lash out energy almost hitting Theo, who just ducked out of the way. “You never have been a smart one have you? You keep attacking me like that and you might land a hit in like a thousand tries.”

Kirsch smiled, “Yeah yeah, I know I am not the smartest. But they are!”

Theo looks confused and looks to where Kirsch was looking to see the spectre of Lafontaine floating there.

“Boo asshole!” Lafontaine cries out to Theo.

Theo is momentarily shocked at the sudden appearance of a ghost before him, so much so that he doesn’t notice Kirsch charging at him once more. Kirsch is able to land on Theo knocking the knife out of his hand and lifting him up in a bear hug.

“What are you doing?” Theo asks as Kirsch starts to walk towards the portal.

“You wanted to go to the other side? Well here you go!” Kirsch yells out as he begins to sprint towards the portal.

“NO! No you idiot, it's not stable it will just disnergatte us!” Theo pleaded out punching and hitting against the arms holding him tight.

Kirsch just shook his head and charged forward more, Theo screaming the whole way, “For Danny you fucking not bro.”

Kirsch, holding onto Theo still, ran into the portal causing a bright light to emit from it and then suddenly dissipate into nothing. The lights stopped. The sounds stopped. Theo and Kirsch were gone seemingly, but the portal appeared closed.

A moment passes where they all take in what just happened and Laura runs over to Carmilla, “Is that it? Is it over?” She asks hopefully when suddenly a loud booming noise emits from the arch and the portal reopens shooting sparks and waves of energy outward.

“Well that’s not good.” Lafontaine says as they reappear near Perry.

“The book!” Carmilla yells out. There must be a way to turn it off from there. “Me and brainiac will look over that, Laura, you and Homemaker look over the computers and see what you can do.”

Laura and Perry nod and run over to start to mess with the controls for the arch as the portal seems to grow more unstable.

“Come on you stupid book, give us a straight answer for once.” Lafontaine laments as Carm holds it open looking it over.

“Um...let’s see...ah!” Carmilla cries out as she points to a passage in the book.

Lafontaine and Carmilla read over the passage seemingly multiple times and then share a look of despair.

“Am I reading that right?” Lafontaine asks Carmilla.

Carmilla just nods, “Yeah...fuck.” She cries out tossing the book to the side.

Laura and Perry look over from the computer. “There is not much to do here, it's all just monitoring. No big off switch.”

“And I tried to unplug it but it seems it is drawing power from itself.” Perry added.

“What did the book say?” Laura asks worryingly.

“It said….” Carmilla started. “It said…”

“It said that if the ritual is not finished to completion, the portal will continue to grow unstable until it implodes.” Lafontaine finished.

Perry smiled, “Oh? So it solves itself! So all we need to do is leave?”

“It’s not that simple Per…” Lafontaine lamented.

“The implosion will essentially destroy a large area around it. Large enough to not give us enough time to escape.” Carmilla said plainly.

Perry gasps and Laura just shook her head and turned back to the computer and started to adjust and mess with things in a determined manner.

Carmilla walked over to Laura. “Hey cupcake.”

Laura seemingly ignored Carmilla as she started to mess with some things, “No, there has to be something.”

“Laura.” Carmilla said calmly.

Laura stopped and hit her hand against the console. “It’s...it’s not fair.”

Carmilal could hear Laura start to sniffle and went over and embraced her while Perry ran over to Lafontaine. “Hey Hey, I know it’s not fair.”

Something seemingly exploded around them and sparks flew up as the portal grew more unstable looking. Laura turned and hugged Carmilla back, “I...always thought we would live out to be that old lesibain couple in a nursing home. Still sneaking into each other's rooms and messing around. Not for it to end this soon.”

Camilla grabbed Laura’s chin and brought her face to the short blondes. “Even if it was only for a second, I love the time we had together. I don’t care how much time we had. As long as we are together.”

Laura was full on weeping at this point, “I’m so sorry for leaving Carm, I just wanted for us to have more time. To make things right. To fix this.”

Carmailla kissed Laura’s forehead, “I forgive you. I love you.”

“I love you too Carm, I love you so much.” Laura says as she presses her lips against Carmilla’s which she returns as they hold each other close.

They continue to kiss as the noises around them get louder, some seemingly close causing Laura to flinch slightly but then Carmilla holds her tighter, attempting to make all of Laura’s focus and attention on the kiss, onto her and her alone. The sound of the portal whooshing around them grows and grows as suddenly it all stops. And all goes white.

Everything was white. She felt like she was no longer in the world of the living. Then again, she can still feel herself breathe. She is not dead. Looking around she doesn't see anything but Laura standing next to her just as confused.

“Where are we Carm?”

“I don’t know…”

“You are not in your world, but not yet in mine.” A loud familiar booming voice states from around them.

“Perry?” Laura askes recognizing the voice.

“That is what my name was on your plane, here I am known as An.”

“An?” Carmilla asks.

“Wait, Mattie told me about this, are your Anu, the God of Gods?” Laura also asks.

“Yes. Your friend Perry finished the ritual.”

“She what? I thought she needed a vampire and what do you mean fini-” Laura started before Carmilla cut her off. 

“It was not a vampire that was needed. It was only one who was not of the living living among the world of the living.”

Carmilla thought for a moment, “Lafontaine”

“Yes, the one known as Lafontaine used themselves to open the portal fully then Perry using her previous connection with the other world from her time with Inanna was able to fuse with me.”

“Okay so Perry is a god...again?” Laura sighed out.

“Not just a god, the God of Gods, and being that I control all of space, matter, life and time.”

“What does that mean now?” Carmilla asked.

“It means I am going to use that power to undo what was done, to repair what harm the world of living suffered due to the evils of some.”

“But so many were already lost, how will it be repaired?” Laura pressed.

“It will be undone. As if it never happened. But…”

“There always is a but in these sort of things.” Carmilla groaned, shaking her head.

“But you two shall remember the world that was, partly because of your involvement, and partly to hopefully prevent it from happening again.”

Laura and Carmilla looked at each other. They would live with all this pain they endured but live they would. They nodded to each other in agreement that it was worth that cost.

“So what happens now? Laura asked looking around the giant white space they found themselves in.

“You shall see.” The voice of Anu and Perry says before going silent.

Laura gasps and Carmilla turns to see what she is looking at. It's all of them. All of their friends.  
Laura runs over and starts to give them all hugs and Carmilla follows after her. They start to make small talk about random things when someone else catches Carmilla’s eyes, it’s two figures standing off a ways. She looked over to the dimwits chatting it up and then walked to the other figures.

“Well looks like your little rag tag group did it sis.” Mattie smiles at her.

“Yeah….” Carmilla says back but keeps her eyes on the other figure there.

Lilita Morgan or, Inanna as Carmilla guessed she should call her now, stood there smiling at Carmilla. Mattie looked between the two and smiled. “Been a while since all of us got together.”

Inanna nodded, “Carmilla. I know you may not care to hear this because of what I have done to you in the past, but I am proud of you.”

Carmilal scoffed, “Proud? Thought you would be disappointed?”

Inanna shook her head, “No. You fought past my evil to not only free me from my wicked ways, save the world twice now, but also find something I never thought you would ever find.”

“And what is that?”

“Love my dear.” Inanna replied as another figure approached and grasped onto Inanna’s hand. He was a tall gentleman with a look of elegance and a brightness to him.

“Let me guess, Hastur?” Carmilla queued.

Inanna smiled, “This being the void between realms allows me to see him once more before all returns to what is right. Same with your friends there.”

Carmilla looked over to them and saw most of them shedding tears and Laura crying the hardest. “They are not coming back are they?”

Mattie shook her head, “I’m afraid not dear sister. Their fates being at the center of it all must remain for things to work. Just like last time, but this time, no riddles and no games to win them back.”

Carmilla sighed then looked at her sister, “Goodbye Mattie.”

Mattie bowed, “Until I see you again.” and then faded into nothing.

Carmilla then looked upon her mother and her lover, “Any other world ending things I need to stop or can I live that life you gave me finally?”

Inanna laughed a bit, “No...everything will be okay. It’s time for you to enjoy your life. Be happy. And never stop loving her. She loves you more than anything.” She said motioning towards Laura as the former dean and her lover also faded.

Carmilla looked over to Laura just in time to see her reach out as her friends started to fade away as well. She walked over to the crying blonde and hugged her. Holding her close she closed her eyes and waited. 

Carmilla feels herself laying down, on something soft but prickly. A breeze blows upon her and she slowly opens her eyes adjusting to the light around her. She is outside, laying in some grass. Groaning, she looks around to see Laura laying next to her, also stirring awake, and also some building that looks familiar? She suddenly sat up and focused on what she saw to make sure it was really there. It was the library. As in the Silas Library. They were in Silas. And it wasn’t destroyed. 

“Ugh...that was a kick.” Laura groaned in displeasure as she also looked around. “Holy Hufflepuff! Are we in Silas?”

Carmilla nodded as some students walked by seemingly happy, “Hey you guys!” She cried out to them.

The students stopped and looked back, smiles wide as heck from their faces. Carmilla stood and approached them, “What’s got you lot all happy?”

One of the students smiled even more it seemed, “Well cause someone stopped the Dean’s weird pit dig thing. We can finally go back to class.”

“Yeah and we are having a “Free from the Pit Party” tonight, we're going to roast a goat in bacon!” One of the larger men who was in the group of students said.

“OKay...well have fun with that.” Carmilla said as Laura approached her.

“So it did happen. Perry fixed everything?” Laura asked hopefully.

“Seems so cutie.”

“But that means they all are…”

Carmilla turned to Laura, “Hey...they chose what they did. They did that so the world would be saved. They did it for us. They did it for those idiots throwing parties. They did it for your dad. They did it for everyone.”

“But you think we should try to see if there is a wa-”

“Laura. They died for a reason. Let them rest.”

Laura nodded as a couple tears leaked out, “They deserve a life as much as we do.”

“I know…”

“I’m going to miss them.”

“Me too, Creampuff. Me too.”

It didn't take too long for Laura’s dad to arrive on campus, claiming he thought he spoke to someone but next thing he remembered he was back in the village near here where they couldn't get help. Together they all left Styria and returned to home. Carmilla and Laura ended up getting a nice place together with Laura reporting for the local news and Carmilla lazaly enjoying her life.

\-----------------------------

Many moons later Laura was sitting at her desk in her office at home when she heard her fiance enter the room. 

“Hey Laura have you seen my boots?” Carmilla asked while adjusting her jacket.

“By the bathroom.” Laura replied without looking up from her desk.

Inturegied Carmilla walked over to Laura, “What’s got you all focused?”

Laura quickly shut the book she was reading and moved some papers on it, “Oh this? Nothing..just...work stuff?”

Carmilla gave her an odd look, “Okay cutie, I get it I won’t pry. Let’s go, we got that reservation soon.”

“Okay Carm.” Laura nodded as she followed her ex vampire fiance out of the room.

Just then a small black cat jumped onto Laura’s desk. They had adopted it a while ago much to Carmilla’s instance they got a dog instead. It walked over the papers and ended knocking some off of the desk. Under the papers laid a book, a familiar book, opened to a page that detailed how to resurrect the dead.

## The End.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh wow I never expected this to be this long. This started as like a random idea and turned into like almost 25k words!
> 
> Thank you everyone who read this and please let me know what you think!
> 
> I know there are some errors here and there and will eventually go through and clean it up if I can, may also adjust some early chapters due to how much shorter they are compared to later ones.
> 
> Anyway hope it was a fun ride for people and there might be more to this story, who knows.
> 
> See you next time.


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